


Born This Way

by ShatterTheNexus



Series: There's No Post on Sundays! [7]
Category: PRISTIN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2020-07-27 19:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 32,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20051158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShatterTheNexus/pseuds/ShatterTheNexus
Summary: Born This Way: Prequel to “Coffee and Criminals”A giant picture filled up the wall at the end of the corridor. Jieqiong paused and looked up at it curiously. There were six women, four of whom she recognized.





	1. Chapter 1

Minkyung’s eyes twinkled watching her sister shoot boxes out of shelves and making the chair skid across the wooden floor of the shop by accident. The small girl was always so timid. For such a young child, she was awfully polite and apologized for the mess after every failed attempt. The shop owner laughed it off genially before giving her another product to test out.

“Hmm… How about this? Thirteen inches, inflexible. English oak and a Phoenix feather core.”

The small girl eyed the towering boxes of unfit wands before glancing over at her sister.

“Go on, take it,” said Minkyung encouragingly as she had been doing since they first walked in.

Yewon took the sixteenth wand Ollivander offered her. She blindly poked at the air. She heard a gasp from her right. Opening her eyes, Yewon followed Minkyung’s line of vision towards a book. Yewon was successfully levitating it. A second later, it smacked itself against the wall, creasing three pages. Yewon’s smile waned into a pout and she uttered a meek apology.

“We’re close! I believe this one should do it. Eleven and a quarter inches. Beech with Unicorn hair. Pliable.” Mr. Ollivander seemed more excited than ever.

“Seventeenth time’s the charm,” winked Minkyung, never losing her bright demeanor.

As expected, Yewon perked up at her sister’s words. She happily took the wand and this time with confidence, she waved it dramatically. The entire pile of boxes that had been tossed aside levitated in the air. Sixteen wands shot up to meet their respective boxes and the lids closed neatly over their other halves. With another wave, the boxes zoomed towards the shelves lining the cramped shop, placing themselves snugly between their brethren.

“Merlin’s beard! That’s incredibly advanced Miss, and term hasn’t even started! Wise beyond your years, a fitting owner for a wand of beech wood. Jolly good!” Exclaimed Mr. Ollivander.

Minkyung felt her heart swell with pride. She had never seen Yewon look happier. Hearing the jingle of coins in a pouch, Yewon skipped over to Minkyung and received seven gold Galleons. Minkyung ushered her sister back towards the center of the shop. Mr. Ollivander bent down to Yewon’s height and presented her with her new wand packed in its elegant box.

“Here you are, Miss Kim,” he said cheerfully.

“Thank you, Mr. Ollivander,” she squeaked adorably and dropped the coins into his hands.

Yewon held the box gently but securely, as if nestling a precious egg. She began walking towards the door, expecting Minkyung to follow.

“Miss Kim, I feel the need to apologize again,” Mr. Ollivander said with a sad smile.

Minkyung shook her head. “You really don’t have to, Sir. I’m getting used to it. Have a good day.” She waved and opened the door.

Just as she stepped over the threshold, something crashed into her. Minkyung couldn’t see anything at first. Panning her eyes down, she saw a small girl sitting at her feet. They blinked owlishly at each other before Minkyung helped the girl up. She looked to be about Yewon’s age, but only came up to chest level. Minkyung often forgot how much her growth spurt had put her above other children. Not that she was around other children much.

“Oh my God, Yebin!”

Minkyung saw someone scurrying over. Surprisingly, it was a girl about the same height as her.

“I’m so sorry about that. My sister’s just super excited to get her wand,” said the newcomer.

“No worries, I understand.” But not _really_. Minkyung put that thought aside and smiled.

“Come on! I’m going to buy you a birthday sundae! With mum’s money!” Called Yewon from the front of Fortescue’s renovated ice cream parlour.

Minkyung gave a thumbs up then held the door open to Ollivanders.

“Thank you!” Said the tiny girl called Yebin. Minkyung nodded.

“Thanks,” said the girl’s sister, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

Minkyung couldn’t help but think this girl possessed an undeniably alluring quality. She wasn’t part Veela, was she? But did Veela magic work on other females? Minkyung snapped her head up when she noticed the girl was still talking to her.

“Sorry?” Minkyung coughed awkwardly. She thought the airy laughter was as pretty as its owner. _Wait, what?_

“I said, happy birthday.”

“Oh, t-thanks,” said Minkyung, still in a daze. She didn’t think she should be this elated over a stranger wishing her happy birthday.

“I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, see you.” Minkyung could have sworn she received a wink.

“Come on, I want a chocolate scoop on your sundae!” Said Yewon excitedly, tugging on her sister’s sleeve.

Minkyung laughed at how Yewon was taking this opportunity to eat _her_ honorary dessert.

~|~|~|~

There was an unusual blockage of patrons crammed between the three bookshelves on cooking and baking. Then again, it was summer. People probably wanted to get some barbecue parties going before everyone left for vacation, or had no vacation left.

Minkyung bypassed the congested area and made a beeline for the gardening section. She plucked out two thick hardcover books. One was on various flowering plants of Great Britain. The other described the most common aquatic flora in Europe. She then strolled a few aisles down, skipping the hunting section. Two more books on vertebrates and invertebrates joined the stack in her arms.

“Doing some light reading?” Said the librarian brightly while sorting the shelves.

“Just a bit,” grinned Minkyung. “I can’t seem to find the one I had over the weekend, though.”

“Was it about the medicinal uses of herbs and bones in indigenous tribes across the world?”

Minkyung’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “That’s exactly the one!”

“Here you go. Someone’s just returned it.” The librarian handed over the book leaning on the cart with a smile. “I saw you reading it over in the corner by yourself. You’re here quite often.”

“I, um, try to learn as much as possible on my own. This library has a fantastic collection,” said Minkyung shyly, rubbing the back of her neck.

“I don’t recall any student being this avid about reading. I honestly thought you had a school project to do over the summer,” said the librarian, straightening a pair of bookends. “Most other kids your age would rather play outside or go to the mall. Get some coffee that’s loaded with sugar to feel somewhat mature, yet still have a tasty drink,” she laughed.

Minkyung shrugged but kept a polite smile on her face. “I don’t really have anyone to play with. And I wish I had a school project to do. I wonder what it’s like,” she mumbled.

“Oh, are you homeschooled?” Asked the librarian.

“Sort of,” said Minkyung hesitantly. There was only so much she could learn at her house.

“You were wearing the school colors over the weekend, I thought you attended there. My bad.”

“It’s alright. But, what school are you talking about?” Said Minkyung slowly, genuinely intrigued. She didn’t know whether or not to feel guilty for asking.

“Berkshire Academy, just down the block. It’s the only one in the district.” If the woman found Minkyung’s lack of knowledge about the area odd, she didn’t show it.

“What’s the school like?” Minkyung pressed on in a casual tone.

“It’s a lovely place. My own daughters went there. They have great academic programs. Their fine arts department isn’t half bad either. Very high retention rates,” babbled the librarian happily.

Minkyung glanced down at the stack of books in her arms. Her chances couldn’t possibly get worse. She spent enough of her days holed up in her room. It was time to get her hands dirty.

“Would you like me to check those out for you, dear?”

Minkyung left the library with five new books in her bag and a leaflet in her hands.

~|~|~|~

“Attention everyone! There’s a syllabus and homework schedule being passed around now. I assume everyone has their books already?”

The class groaned in response. Several students were sweating profusely despite all of the windows being open. Minkyung was lucky enough to get a desk in a shaded corner.

“Wonderful,” said the teacher, mustering up some enthusiasm. “Take five or so minutes to introduce yourselves to your desk partner. You will be working together for the rest of term. When you are done, you may begin Activity One in your manual.”

Minkyung quirked her head to the side. Her new teacher was rather short and had a cheerful, somewhat squeaky tone. He reminded her of a professor she met at one of her parents’ dinner parties. The sudden buzz of conversation brought her back to the present. She raised her hand.

“Sir, I don’t have a partner.” She pointed at the empty seat on her left.

“That’s odd, I have a full roster. Ah, I see who’s missing. Well, would you like to work with—“

The classroom door creaked open, revealing a frazzled girl panting with her hands on her knees. Some of the students at the front waved and chortled. The girl whispered her greetings bashfully, then walked to the back of the room in about four long strides.

“Sorry I’m late, Sir,” she huffed.

“It’s quite alright, but do try to be punctual in the future. Miss Kim here will get you up to speed.”

Minkyung watched the teacher hop away to oversee a rather boisterous group of students. She turned to face her new desk-mate. Seeing who it was, her eyes widened and her jaw fell open.

“I’m sorry, I hope you weren’t waiting long. I’m usually on time. Are we doing Activity One? He always starts with the manual.” The girl spoke so rapidly while shuffling through her bag for her workbook that Minkyung couldn’t respond, even if she wasn’t in shock. “Oh, we haven’t done introductions yet. I’m—”

The girl finally looked up and, as Minkyung expected, froze just as she did.

“So we have met before,” muttered Minkyung.

The girl’s lips stretched into a broad grin with two perfect rows of white teeth. “How was your birthday sundae?”

Minkyung mirrored her expression. “Couldn’t tell you. My sister left nothing but the cherries.”

The girl threw her head back in laughter. For some reason, Minkyung felt the need to savor this moment. The sun filtering in from the screened windows hit the girl at just the right angle, making her brown hair glow golden.

“So, does Miss Kim have a first name?” The girl asked, completely disregarding the assignment.

“Minkyung.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Minkyung. I’m Kyungwon.”

~|~|~|~

“So when is your _usual _punctuality going to kick in?”

“Very… Funny…”

“Oh, come here.”

Minkyung fussed with Kyungwon’s tie and blazer while the girl attempted to tame her own windswept hair. Term started a month ago and Kyungwon was reliably late at least twice a week. No matter how many times the girl skidded into the room, panted an apology through the door crack, or crept in the back, their teacher would always tell her to be more punctual in the future. Minkyung assumed by the tone of his voice that this was a regular occurrence. Kyungwon enlightened her that this was pretty much routine for the past three years in his homeroom. The apologies and exasperated replies were more of a formality at this point.

“There.” Minkyung fastened the final knot in the tie and straightened it out.

“Thanks,” whispered Kyungwon.

Minkyung’s hands froze for a fraction of a second. Her eyes flickered up to Kyungwon’s, whose voice sounded awfully close. The girl was wearing her signature grin. Her breathing seemed unusually calm for someone who just ran to her seat. Minkyung, on the other hand, had stopped breathing completely. She cleared her throat awkwardly, let go of the tie, and fixed her eyes on the board. But she would have bet ten Galleons Kyungwon was smirking at her from the side.

An hour later, the bell rang and crowds of students flooded the corridors. Minkyung packed up her notes and walked out of the room with Kyungwon in tow.

“At least we don’t have chemistry first period. Imagine you bursting into the lab and someone squeezing a pipette of acid in surprise,” sighed Minkyung with her arms crossed.

“Aw, you care about me getting burned?” Cooed Kyungwon teasingly, prodding Minkyung’s arm.

“Do you hear yourself when you speak? Of course I’d care,” muttered Minkyung, trying to sound like a nagging mother rather than a worried nutter. “Why are you always late anyway?”

“I’m not a morning person,” Kyungwon shrugged.

“Five minutes. If you just woke up five minutes earlier, you wouldn’t hyperventilate next to me every Monday and Thursday.”

“You’ve already learned my habits. Am I that distracting?” Kyungwon winked.

Minkyung didn’t answer. Her ears were already pink. Thankfully, they were hidden by her black hair. But she didn’t need her whole face burning, especially not in front of Kyungwon Kang.

They entered the room and walked to their bench, stowing their belongings in the cabinet underneath. Minkyung crossed the room to grab two pairs of sanitized goggles. When she returned, Kyungwon was holding open a lab coat like a gentlewoman.

Minkyung couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across her face. “Thanks,” she said and slipped her arms into the coat sleeves.

To return the gesture, Minkyung gently pulled a pair of goggles over Kyungwon’s eyes. As punishment for being late that morning, she snapped the strap around the back of Kyungwon’s head. She sniffed with sadistic pleasure and set up their equipment. Once class officially started, Kyungwon knew not to mess around. She wasn’t the greatest at chemistry, but she followed Minkyung’s instructions well. After fifteen minutes of recording the mass of this powder and measuring the volume of that liquid, they set a time for their boiling apparatus.

Minkyung leaned back in her chair and stared at the bubbling beaker thoughtfully. She supposed this wasn’t all too different. It was a bit more work, but much cleaner. The corner of her lips twitched as she thought of her sister. Yewon might just as well be allocating spoonfuls of Flobberworm mucus into her cauldron at that very moment. And here Minkyung was, simply boiling a test tube in a water bath.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Kyungwon’s voice broke through the comfortable silence.

Minkyung turned her head to the left where Kyungwon was fiddling with a glass stirrer. In thinking of Yewon, she remembered something she had been meaning to ask Kyungwon. She leaned closer and so did her lab partner. “Are you a witch?”

Kyungwon tilted her head. “You get straight to the point, don’t you?” She grinned. “Well, seeing as I’m here with you, that’s a big fat no.”

“Then, are you a—”

“Muggle,” Kyungwon nodded. “Just plain ol’ me. No sparks, no pizzazz,” she said quietly, brandishing the glass stirrer like a wand with a cheeky smile.

Minkyung paused. That wasn’t what she was going to say. But either way, she confirmed Kyungwon’s background.

“I assume you’re also one?” Asked Kyungwon casually, setting down the stirrer before it broke.

Minkyung’s eyes shifted back to the beaker. “Sort of.”

“Sort of? Either you are or you aren’t. If you are, I don’t see why you wouldn’t go _there_.”

“I, um, can’t,” said Minkyung uneasily.

“Really?” Said Kyungwon curiously, not noticing anything odd. “Is something tying you down?”

“Yeah…” Kyungwon stared at Minkyung until she continued. “I’m… I’m a Squib.”

“A squid? Fascinating powers you have. Where do you hide your tentacles?”

Minkyung couldn’t tell if Kyungwon was joking or not. The girl searched Minkyung’s hair as if tentacles would suddenly tumble out from under a wig. Minkyung slapped her hands away.

“Not a squid! A _Squib_,” she emphasized while trying to whisper.

Kyungwon looked back at her innocently. “So what’s the significance of the reversed letter?”

Minkyung blinked. Right, a Muggle wouldn’t know. She inhaled sharply, for this felt like a confession of her deepest, darkest secrets. “I have a wizarding family but don’t possess any magic of my own.” She held her breath and shut her eyes, waiting for the barrage of ridicule.

“Huh,” hummed Kyungwon. “So you’re like the opposite of my sister. Muggle family and she’s the first one to get _the_ letter.”

Minkyung was still waiting.

“Wanna get coffee after school?”

“What?” Said Minkyung dumbly. Where were the derisive guffaws? The hissed insults?

“Coffee.” Kyungwon curled her fingers into air quotes. “You know, drinks that are half ice, half syrup so that teens our age can feel slightly mature but not have to drink disgusting espresso brews?” Said Kyungwon, bobbing the thermometer up and down in the beaker of hot water.

Minkyung blinked. Right, a Muggle wouldn’t know what a Squib was, nor would they care. She smiled, her heart feeling lighter than ever. “I think the reaction’s done.” She pulled out the test tube with a pair of tongs and inserted it into a cooling rack. When she looked up at Kyungwon to discuss the next step in the procedure, she found her friend grinning back at her.

~|~|~|~

Minkyung bounded down the stairs, her hair straight and her skirt perfectly pleated. She strolled into the kitchen and sat down at the table where her mother was buttering some toast.

“Good morning, dear,” said her mother cheerfully.

“Morning, mum and dad,” said Minkyung, her eyes curving into crescents.

“Happy Halloween!”

Minkyung laughed as her father flicked his wand upwards and three strips of crispy bacon flipped over in a pan. He waved his wand over the stove and a pile of bat-shaped pancakes piled themselves onto a platter, which floated to the table. Minkyung served two to her mother, placed two on her father’s empty plate, then took the last two for herself. She closed her eyes to savor the sweet cinnamon flavor. Her father’s cooking was the best, especially during a holiday.

“Honey, your sister sent you an owl this morning,” said her mother, folding up the Daily Prophet.

Minkyung scarfed down her breakfast and hurried to the back porch where their family owl usually dropped off the post. She slipped off the card tied to the top of the package.

_Minkyung,_

_I hope you’re having fun at school! I can’t wait to come home for the winter holidays and talk about what you’ve been doing. Classes have been great for me. Except for History of Magic. I know I promised mum and dad that I’d do well, but I’ve fallen asleep at least three times in that class. On the other hand, Potions is fantastic! Professor Slughorn says I’m a natural. I’ll tell you more about it later. Here are some treats the upperclassmen in my house put out in the common room. They’re from Honeydukes. I got as much of your favorites as I could, but a few of them escaped. Happy Halloween! I’ll see you in December._

_With love, Yewon_

Minkyung beamed at no one and took the package up to her room. She stowed the card safely in a box designated for anything her sister gave her. Then she sifted through the package and laid out an array of sweets across her desk. _Not a bad haul_, thought Minkyung appreciatively. There were some pastries, bubble gum, sherbet balls, jelly beans, and spun sugar.

“Yewon, you are my savior,” groaned Minkyung in satisfaction.

She pulled out a neatly arranged set of twelve Chocolate Frogs. Brushing aside her near obsessive need for the sweet, she marveled at Yewon’s thoughtfulness. Her sister had made sure each box had a different Chocolate Frog Card, all of which Minkyung did not have in her collection yet. She always suspected Yewon drank Memory Potions as an infant.

The clock on the wall chimed and said, “Better get crackin’, time’s a wastin’!”

Minkyung stuffed some of everything and the box of jelly beans into the pocket on the inner lining of her bag. Her mother had put an Extension Charm on it as Minkyung was rather attached to this bag, though it didn’t hold much else besides her notebooks and pencils.

With a wave to her parents, she was out the door. She came to the edge of a forest and stepped between two large boulders. A path revealed itself every few feet she traveled while it disappeared behind her. When she came to the opposite side of the forest, she stopped to let a car pass then stepped out into the open area. She walked for ten minutes along a sidewalk before pausing at the gates to her school.

Minkyung squinted ahead of her. “Kyungwon?”

The girl spun on her heels at the sound of her name and waved Minkyung over.

“You’re early,” said Minkyung in disbelief.

“Are you proud of me?” Said Kyungwon cheekily, nudging Minkyung with her shoulder.

“For once,” said Minkyung brightly and she walked briskly towards the front doors.

“I knew you— Wait. What did you say?” Kyungwon ran after Minkyung, who was already inside.

“Happy Halloween,” smiled Minkyung as she leaned against the locker by Kyungwon’s. On the days she wasn’t literally running to school late, Kyungwon forgot her textbook in her locker and arrived in her seat exactly on time. She was always huffing and puffing though.

“Hallow’s Eve,” Kyungwon corrected, wriggling her eyebrows in superiority.

Minkyung rolled her eyes playfully. “Whatever.”

“Are you doing anything tonight?” Asked Kyungwon.

“Uh, n-no,” stuttered Minkyung, caught off-guard by the sudden question.

“Come over,” said Kyungwon, pulling out her trigonometry textbook and graphing calculator.

“Over where?”

Kyungwon snorted before dropping her smile at Minkyung’s confused expression. “Seriously?”

“What?” Questioned Minkyung.

“Come over to my house, silly. It’s Friday, let’s hang out. My parents are going to a Halloween party with some colleagues. They’ll probably talk about taxes or whatever adults do for fun. What’s with the look? You don’t want to?” Kyungwon furrowed her eyebrows at Minkyung’s unnaturally blank face.

“I’ve never been invited to anyone’s house before.” Minkyung wanted to slap herself for how pathetic she sounded. But strangely, her friend’s appalled expression was uplifting.

“Why wouldn’t anyone invite you over? You’re awesome,” scoffed Kyungwon.

Minkyung rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “You live around wizards long enough, children start getting antsy if you don’t prove you have magic. They don’t like Squibs much.”

“Who cares about those losers? If they won’t get to know you, they’re not worth your precious brain power. Now the important matter at hand is, will you come over?” Said Kyungwon.

Minkyung smiled. Kyungwon always had the ability make Minkyung’s wayward view of life appear right-side up. But noticing all of the passing students glancing at Kyungwon, she thought of something. “Don’t you have a party you would like to go to?”

“Me?” Kyungwon asked incredulously. “Not that I know of. Why?”

Minkyung shrugged. “You’re, um, kind of popular around here. I would’ve thought…”

“Meh, those kinds of social events aren’t really my thing. Too many people, too little space. Teenage hormones pumped up with EDM mixes? I’ll pass. So, my house. Yea or nay?”

“Hmm…” Minkyung pretended to think hard as if she were deciphering tea leaf omens.

“Oh, come on,” Kyungwon whined, pulling and pushing on Minkyung’s arm like a child.

“I guess I’ll come,” Minkyung sighed dramatically, then burst out laughing when Kyungwon did a jig in the middle of the corridor.

The day flew by. Chemistry was fun as their teacher had them make a strange substance that acted like a liquid but possessed some solid properties when exerted under pressure. Every group used different food coloring. Kyungwon threatened to smother goo all over Minkyung’s hair. Minkyung nonchalantly offered to stuff some up Kyungwon’s nostrils. Their giggles melded harmoniously as they exited the lab, all goo in a plastic bag, their hair and nostrils clean.

For lunch, the cafeteria served a choice of pudding with Halloween themed sprinkles, or orange, green, and purple dyed apple sauce. Minkyung was about to take the green apple sauce, but Kyungwon advised her to keep away from the desserts and shoved half of her homemade peach strudel into Minkyung’s hand without another word. Minkyung was confused, but followed Kyungwon outside to a stone bench and shared her Pumpkin Pasties from Yewon’s package.

Trigonometry put a slight damper on Kyungwon’s afternoon. She didn’t care for it much and always asked during group work why anyone would need it practically. Minkyung couldn’t answer. She didn’t grow up thinking math was a core subject. Nevertheless, she picked it up at an alarming rate upon enrolling at Berkshire and helped Kyungwon with the worksheet as usual.

When the final bell rang, signaling the end of their history lesson, Minkyung stretched out her long arms and yawned. If Yewon’s history class was this boring, she felt sorry for her sister.

“Come on! Let’s go,” said Kyungwon, dragging out the last word and shaking Minkyung’s arm in the air. She already had her bag packed and for once, her seat was pushed in.

Minkyung pushed her chair out and made a show of stretching her long legs too. Then she cracked each of her knuckles and cricked her neck on both sides. She stood up slowly, pushed her chair in so that it dragged along the tiled floor, fixed her skirt which didn’t need fixing, and placed her notebook and pencils into her bag one by one. When she turned around, she had to stifle her laugh. Kyungwon was tapping her foot impatiently and had her arms crossed.

“You’re such a troll,” pouted Kyungwon.

“Excuse me? I am not!” Minkyung replied in an affronted tone.

Kyungwon’s foot stilled in mid-tap. “Wait, are those legit? It’s slang in Muggle lingo. Sorry.”

“Is it? A troll to me is a foul beast with nearly nonexistent intelligence and a stench as big and bold as its twelve-foot figure,” explained Minkyung.

“Ew.” Kyungwon scrunched up her nose as they walked towards the front gate. “Well, I guess that’s accurate for a Muggle troll, just on the inside. Eh, some are that on the outside too.”

And again, Kyungwon had managed to turn something absolutely horrid into a lighthearted joke. “Can we change the topic?” Minkyung said, crinkling her own nose in amusement.

Kyungwon linked her arm with Minkyung’s and led the way to her house down curvy residential streets. “What do you want to do at my place?”

“I have some treats. My sister sent them from school. I think you’ll have fun with those.”

“Ooh, are they enchanted?” Probed Kyungwon with interest.

“Yeah. You’ll see,” grinned Minkyung. “Other than that, I don’t know what to do. What do Muggles usually do for fun?”

“We could watch a movie. Or play some video games. I’ve got a nice stash to choose from.”

“Do you usually do those things with your friends?” Asked Minkyung. Kyungwon just titled her head in response. “All those people you talk to at school.”

“Oh,” said Kyungwon, frowning slightly. “They’re not really friends. I mean they’re nice and all, but we’re more like acquaintances. Just people I know from school and would say hi to, but I wouldn’t really say we’re close.”

Now that Minkyung thought about it, Kyungwon greeted a lot of people at school, but she never stuck around them.

“Not like you and me,” added Kyungwon with a shining grin that contrasted with the autumn leaves fluttering to the ground around them.

Minkyung smiled unconsciously and trained her eyes on the sidewalk. She noticed their feet stepped in sync and their arms were still locked tightly at the elbows.

In no time, they had reached Kyungwon’s house, a simple two-story building with modern decor. They settled on the floor of her bedroom where Minkyung pulled out the various wizarding sweets from the hidden pocket in her bag. Kyungwon reached for the striped box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.

“A risk with every mouthful,” read Kyungwon. “Marmalade, coffee, salmon, tripe, lawn clippings? Gosh this sounds like an intense Bean Boozled.”

“Is that the Muggle equivalent?” Minkyung unwrapped a sweet and held it in front of Kyungwon, who bit off a portion of the spun sugar, before taking a bite herself.

“Oh, I like that one,” said Kyungwon, eyeing the Sugar Quill. “And yeah. Basically you have beans that look alike and you don’t know if it tastes good or bad. But I don’t reckon I’ve ever tried earwax. We’ll save that for punishment bets.” She set the box aside.

Kyungwon inspected a box of Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, which Minkyung suggested she try. They opened the box and chewed a square each. A minute later, Kyungwon’s bedroom was filled with bluebell bubbles. Minkyung said they wouldn’t pop for days, but Kyungwon thought it was funny and took a picture. She’d send it to her sister at Hogwarts.

Next they opened a pack of Fizzing Whizzbees. Minkyung didn’t bother explaining its rumored origins from Billywigs. She just said they would make Kyungwon float a few inches off the ground. Intrigued, Kyungwon popped a sherbet ball into her mouth and her butt levitated above the carpet. Tipped off balance, she flung her limbs out as if she were crashing to the floor and instead rose higher. Minkyung grabbed onto her ankle while laughing heartily. Once Kyungwon made herself vertical, she was tall enough to push off the ceiling with her hands and bounce back down whenever she floated too high. Eventually, the effect wore off. 

“These are my favorite,” said Minkyung. “My sister scrounged some up for me.”

Kyungwon smiled at Minkyung staring appreciatively at the arrangement of pentagonal chocolate boxes. Kyungwon mentally engraved every detail of the scene.

“These are Chocolate Frogs. They really hop.” Minkyung opened one of the lids and the chocolate sprung to life, literally bounding out of the box and into Kyungwon’s hand.

“How am I supposed to eat this now?” Kyungwon whined. She was both amazed at the enchanted treat and put off by its striking similarity to a real frog.

“You get used to the idea that it’s just charmed candy. But if you feel uncomfortable, put it back in the box and the magic will wear off after a while.”

“What are those?” Kyungwon nodded at Minkyung’s hands while locking her frog in its box.

“Chocolate Frog Cards.” Minkyung splayed them out on the carpet. “All of them have pictures and descriptions of famous witches and wizards. Some of them have defeated dark—I mean criminals, others have come up with novel potions and spells.”

Kyungwon picked up a card. “Alberic Grunnion. Inventor of the Dungbomb,” she read. “Well, that’s elegant. A true contribution to the world if I ever saw one.”

Minkyung chuckled, then continued discussing the extent of her current card collection. Kyungwon again felt the unfamiliar urge to stay silent. Minkyung looked so happy and carefree babbling on about which card was her favorite and which was valued more, or which ones she kept in mint condition. She started listing extra facts that weren’t included in the descriptions. And in her excitement, the cards fluttered out of her hand and mixed in with the mountain piled on the floor. She seemed so innocent. Kyungwon wanted to preserve that forever.

“You’re such a nerd,” she giggled affectionately, more to herself.

Minkyung stopped rambling, but her smile grew the longer she stared at Kyungwon. Finally, she broke the silence. “Look who’s calling the cauldron black.”

Kyungwon glanced over to her own treasured collection of video games. “I’m a geek, not a nerd. And neither of those equate to dork. Learn the difference,” she tutted jokingly. She stood up and plucked a case out of the neat row. “Allow me to show you the ways of Super Smash Bros.”

For the next hour, Kyungwon showed Minkyung how to choose and control characters. She demonstrated the various moves, attacks, and jumps each one could perform. She spit fire rapping the names of the characters she unlocked thus far. In the first few matches, Kyungwon won easily since Minkyung just button mashed. But later on it was evident she was losing on purpose. Minkyung didn’t say anything.

“Cloud is the OG, I don’t care what anyone says.”

“If you say so,” chuckled Minkyung and she clicked the button to choose Cloud as her avatar.

They fought what seemed like a legitimate match until Kyungwon started narrating it with enthusiasm. Minkyung thought she resembled the Quidditch commentators at the World Cup. With a quick glance to her right, Minkyung saw Kyungwon’s profile lit up by the TV screen. Her eyes were wide and attentive. Her cheekbones were showing. She had her signature grin slapped onto her face and Minkyung thought there was nothing she could do at that moment to wipe it off, not that she would. Doing what she loved seemed to bring out the liveliness in Kyungwon. Minkyung had the urge to preserve that forever.

“I love spending time with you,” said Kyungwon out of nowhere. “There’s nobody quite like you.”

They beamed at each other, their hearts swelling with emotions unrealized, not caring that their characters kept falling into oblivion. All that mattered was they were happy being them, together.

~|~|~|~

“Are you sure you can’t come over?”

“I’m on babysitting duty too. Besides, didn’t you always say you should meet new people? Here’s your chance!”

“But this is so awkward! I didn’t want my little sister to set me up with friends.”

“Yeah well, your sister sounds like an angel compared to my gremlin.”

“Maybe we should set them up.”

“And taint your sister’s pure mind? Fine, but it’s on you.”

Minkyung glanced towards the imposing door from the living room couch. She pushed her phone to her ear. “Help me.”

“You’re being dramatic. You. Not me, you. Do you see how serious this is if _I’m_ saying that?” Came Kyungwon’s frantic muffled voice through the receiver.

Minkyung stared at the ceiling. “I know you’re holding back a laugh,” she deadpanned. She yanked the phone away from her ear as cackling filled the empty room. “Are you done?”

“Aha! I’m, heh, I’m sorry. Ahem. Really, I am. But come on, it’s just a little get-together. You said your sister’s friend’s sister’s pet dragon’s cousin-in-law twice removed was around your age. And you’re all wizarding folk. You’ve got to have something in common.”

Minkyung rolled her eyes but cracked a smile. “It stops at just my sister’s friend’s sister. Anyway, I’m a Squib, remember? I’ve got as much in common with them as Kirby the Hedgehog does.”

“How dare you. You have failed me, my pupil. It’s Kirby, and Sonic the Hedgehog. At least you grew up with magical whosits and whatsits galore. And I know you’re smiling because I’m right.”

Minkyung’s smile grew wider. “Shut up,” she laughed.

The doorbell rang and Minkyung’s smile dropped. She felt anxiety pool in the pit of her stomach.

“Relax,” said Kyungwon, assuming why Minkyung had fallen silent. “You’ll be fine. I’m sure your sister has great taste in friends. Their sister will probably embrace you and your Squibbiness just like I do. Alright?” She said soothingly.

With a deep breath, Minkyung said, “Alright. Wish me luck.”

She ended the call with a heavy heart and glanced towards the hallway. Yewon should’ve been darting down the stairs by now to greet her friend. Steeling herself to be social and polite, she pushed herself off the couch and answered the door.

Minkyung had a split second to see the silhouette of a tall figure before her vision was blinded by long, brown hair in perfect waves. This person obviously had no conception of personal space. When Minkyung didn’t hug them back, they tightened their grip. Minkyung stiffened. She knew those bony wrists digging into her shoulder blades anywhere.

“Nayoung?!” Minkyung gasped, putting the stranger at arm's length to see their face clearly.

The tall girl grinned and wiggled her slender fingers in the air. “Long time, no see.”

~|~|~|~

Kyungwon hung up her phone and shoved it in her pocket. “Yebin, do you know where we’re going? I’ve never been to this part of town before, and I’m kinda running low on data for GPS.”

“We’re almost there. I’m sure of it,” said the shorter girl in the adjoining seat.

“How?” Asked Kyungwon skeptically. They had boarded the bus half an hour ago.

Yebin held up a finger to her lips and glanced down at her open palm, hidden from the other passengers. The arrows of a small compass whizzed around as the bus kept driving. But instead of tick marks indicating the cardinal directions, this compass had labels such as “Turn Right,” “Veer Left,” “Wrong Way,” and “Keep Going.” The minor arrow currently pointed at “U-turn.” Kyungwon looked out the window and sure enough, the bus made a u-turn and continued down a one-way street. The arrow whizzed back to join the major arrow under “Keep Going.”

“A gift from your friend?” Said Kyungwon, impressed.

Yebin looked down at the compass with even more fervor. “She’s absolutely brilliant. She made this by herself and we’re not even halfway to our O.W.L. year.”

“So while you guys are prancing around showering glitter everywhere—”

“We’re not supposed to… you know, outside of school. We’re not of age,” whispered Yebin.

“Oh. But still, what am I supposed to do? My phone’s battery will only last me so many V Lives.”

“Stop fawning over idols on the other side of the world and get some friends.”

“Gremlin,” muttered Kyungwon.

“Thankfully, I, the almighty Yebin, care about you becoming an old cat lady,” said Yebin grandly.

Kyungwon slowly turned to look at her sister. “Please don’t tell me you set me up on a playdate.”

“… I set you up on a playdate,” grinned Yebin sheepishly.

Kyungwon thumped her head against the seat’s head rest._ Wherefore art thou Minkyung?_

~|~|~|~

“What’s that?” Nayoung pointed at Minkyung’s hand.

“It’s a cell phone. Muggles use them to talk to each other over long distances. You can use your voice or write a message. Not by parchment and owl, but by electronic buttons on the screen.”

“Do you have a lot of contacts?” Nayoung tried snatching the phone out of Minkyung’s hand.

“No,” said Minkyung, holding Nayoung’s arm away. “Just one.”

“Ah, that peppy girl you wrote to me about,” said Nayoung. “Did she buy you that phone?”

Minkyung winced at Nayoung’s staccato, monotonous voice reminiscent of a typewriter. But she knew it was unintentional. That was just Nayoung’s diction. It still sounded disapproving though. “Her name is Kyungwon, but yes, it’s her. And she did since we don’t have such things.”

“She’s the one who talks constantly and teases you, but you can’t be mad at her for longer than five minutes, you can’t stop smiling around her, and you get all shy when she’s close.”

“Must you tick those off on your fingers like they’re charges for a crime I committed?” Minkyung pulled Nayoung’s wrist down, making the swing chains creak. She ignored the chuckles.

“I wanted to ask, but it was random to put in a letter. Is she part Veela? She has you wrapped around her finger.” Nayoung’s grin irked Minkyung, though she could never be mad at her either.

“She’s not part Veela, just insanely beautiful.” Minkyung slapped her hands over her mouth as soon as the words left her lips.

Nayoung’s expression was so gleeful, Minkyung didn’t think she’d ever seen so much emotion on the stone’s face. She rolled her eyes, waiting for the teasing to come.

“When are you going to ask her out?”

Minkyung shook her head, positive that her ears were clogged with Wrackspurts. “Come again?” She squeaked.

“You obviously like her. A lot. And you said she knows quite a few people at your school. She might not spend time with them like she does with you, but that doesn’t mean they can’t ask her out and _start_ spending time with her. Shouldn’t you tell her before it’s too late?” Asked Nayoung seriously, though with an air of comfort.

“I’ve… I’ve never…” Minkyung didn’t even know what to say.

“You’ve never even said it aloud to yourself, have you?” Nayoung sighed.

Minkyung knew Nayoung didn’t need an answer, but forced her head to shake anyway.

Nayoung stared at the side of Minkyung’s head. “It’s been what, two years? You’re quick on the uptake of all things Muggle, yet you won’t do this?”

“Preteens, teenagers, whatever we were or are. It’s puppy love. A crush,” moaned Minkyung, burying her face in her hands out of embarrassment. Why were they talking about this?

“But is it?” Nayoung’s tone grew more serious if that was even possible. “You can say a lot of relationships don’t work out when you’re young. But you know better than anybody how you feel. Do you honestly believe it’s nothing? That it’ll fizzle out to a platonic friendship?”

“Ugh! I can’t just spring this on her. What am I supposed to say? ‘Hey Kyungwon, I’ve had feelings for you since I saw you in Diagon Alley.’ Yeah, that’ll bode well,” grumbled Minkyung.

“Is it so terrifying to just ask? I’m sure she won’t abandon you,” wondered Nayoung.

“Rejection is terrifying! How can I deal with my best friend knowing I like her and telling me she doesn’t feel the same? It’ll ruin everything.”

“Ruin is a rather strong verb, no?” Nayoung winced under Minkyung’s withering gaze.

“Team Captain Im, star Chaser, prefect and shoo-in for Head Girl with your ten O.W.L.s. Has anyone ever asked you out at Hogwarts?” Asked Minkyung with a controlled voice.

“Uh, yes,” Nayoung answered tentatively. She was weirded out by how similar Minkyung sounded like Professor McGonagall.

“Pray tell, how did your admirers react when you rejected them with that stony visage of yours?”

“Well, they— Oh.” Nayoung’s face defaulted to said stony visage.

“Oh?” Minkyung prompted sarcastically.

“They cried in the toilets until Moaning Myrtle burst the pipes out of joy from others’ misery,” said Nayoung as if she was reading from a script and doing a horrible job at sounding natural.

“And those are people who have never spoken to you before. Kyungwon’s more important to me than some deranged fan!”

“There’s no reason to be rude to random Hogwarts students. But fine, I see your point.”

Nayoung relented, but still thought Minkyung should be honest with herself. A girl like her had good chances of be accepted. And if this Kyungwon person was just as breathtaking inside and out as Minkyung claimed, Nayoung didn’t think she would reject Minkyung cold-heartedly.

“Minkyung! Nayoung! My friend and her sister are here! You should come meet them!”

Nayoung watched as Minkyung slapped on a bright smile and called back to Yewon, even though the girl couldn’t see them. Minkyung always wanted to be a pillar of support and happiness to Yewon. In Nayoung’s opinion, Minkyung deserved one of her own. Kyungwon seemed like the perfect candidate. But it wasn’t Nayoung’s place to convince this stranger.

“Let’s go. As awkward as you are, you boulder, both of us standing there awkwardly might somehow make it less awkward,” sighed Minkyung nonsensically, standing up from her swing.

“And yet, my gut tells me I’m going to be the awkward third wheel…”

Minkyung furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and followed Nayoung’s line of sight to the back porch. She hopped on her toes in surprise.

“I don’t think it’s safe to dispose of Muggle electronics here,” said Nayoung, though her voice sounded very distant. She picked up Minkyung’s phone from the grass and held it by the corner apprehensively, unsure of how to handle it. Its owner, however, couldn’t care less.

“K-Kyungwon,” whispered Minkyung.

For all Nayoung knew, Minkyung’s voice boomed across the yard as the taller of the two newcomers dashed forward and lifted Minkyung up by the waist. Nayoung was surprised once the girl set Minkyung down. All three of them seemed to be the same height, which was very tall.

“What are you doing here?” Said Minkyung breathlessly.

Kyungwon grinned. “What are the chances? My gremlin set me up on a playdate without telling me. As it turns out, our sisters are best friends at Hogwarts and wanted to introduce us.”

Minkyung was dumbfounded. She didn’t know whether to laugh or wheeze on the ground in meaningless tears. And after that whole talk with Nayoung, her emotions were a wreck.

A creak from the swing set alerted Kyungwon to the presence of another girl. “Oh, hello! I’m Kyungwon, Minkyung’s friend and Yebin’s older sister. Pleasure to meet you!”

“I get second mention?” Yebin shouted across the yard. Kyungwon waved her off.

Nayoung’s lips curved into a small smile. “Pleasure. The name’s Nayoung. I’m a childhood friend of Minkyung and Yewon.” She shook Kyungwon’s hand, but felt the girl’s grip tighten briefly at the last words. Nayoung tried to come up with something to relieve the tiny bit of tension she sensed. “I go to school with those two rascals,” she nodded at Yewon and Yebin.

Kyungwon’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. This was unusual, especially while Minkyung was around. The bulging muscle by Kyungwon’s lower jaw told the observant Nayoung that much.

“Rascals?” Minkyung asked, bemused. Nayoung had always called Yewon a baby saint.

“The number of times Yebin set Peeves off for fun. And poor Yewon gets dragged along in her plans. You know, I found them raiding the kitchens after hours,” said Nayoung, eyeing the pair. It was all true, but she harbored no ill feelings towards the young witches.

Minkyung’s laugh was overwhelmed by Kyungwon’s softer chuckle. Nayoung could hear the difference. It wasn’t chipper like her initial greeting nor hearty as Minkyung described it when Kyungwon would carry out her usual antics. It was strained, just barely. Nayoung then realized her mistake. She spoke of something that excluded Kyungwon. How could she backtrack?

“Hey, Kyungwon.” Nayoung bit her lip, unsure if this would work but tried anyway. “I’m really glad I can finally meet you. Minkyung told me loads about you. It makes me feel better that she has someone to lean on since Yewon and I are away for most of the year.”

“Really?” Kyungwon looked from Nayoung to her friend, who remained silent.

Minkyung’s cheeks were reddening? Check. Kyungwon’s well-hidden suspicious gaze turned into one of pleasant surprise? Check. Now to ease into something lighthearted.

“I remember her mentioning you started your own Chocolate Frog Card collection. I brought a bunch from the sweet shop by school. Want to see what cards there are? And don’t worry, the frogs have lost their magic.” Top it off with a friendly, inviting smile.

“I’d love to. We have a bet that I’ll have more cards by this Christmas,” smirked Kyungwon.

“Psh. I started my collection when I was nine. Might as well throw in the towel now,” countered Minkyung smugly, flipping her long, black hair over her shoulder.

“If I send a bag of money to Yebin, she’ll do anything for me. Including flooding my windowsill with boxes of Chocolate Frogs,” said Kyungwon deviously. “I’ve already got eighty-seven.”

Minkyung’s eyes bulged out. “Eighty… But I only have seventy-two! Yewon!” She rounded on the timid girl conversing with Yebin in the shade.

Bantering at a maximum, legitimate tension at a minimum? Check. Nayoung’s job was done.

“I’ll get the funnel ready,” teased Kyungwon in a sing-song voice.

“You are not shoveling Bertie Bott’s beans down my throat! I’ve still got another six months!”

~|~|~|~

The whistle blew, signaling the end of class. “Good effort! Everyone gets ten points. Hope you all have a good weekend. Dress warm and stay safe. You may leave.”

The students filed out of the gym, pushing and shoving each other. The boys all fled down the left passage, the girls to the changing room on the right.

“How are you sweating this much?” Said Minkyung, catching a few drops of perspiration from Kyungwon’s temple with her fingers and wiping it on her own shirt.

“You would be too if the Turner twins were against you. It’s not fair, they treat every game like a death match. Why couldn’t I be in your game? You got all the laid back people who don’t give a flick,” Kyungwon whined, leaning on Minkyung’s shoulder.

“Luck of the draw,” Minkyung shrugged, forcing Kyungwon to lift her head.

“Ugh, it’s disgusting in here. Can’t they turn on the air conditioning?” Groaned Kyungwon.

“It’s the middle of winter,” said Minkyung. She opened her locker and pulled her clothes out onto the bench nearby.

“It’s a changing room! You need ventilation for all these gross hormones wiping their grubby hands all over you year-round.”

“I’m pretty sure hormones don’t have hands. It’s more of a ligand-receptor mechanism,” smirked Minkyung. But she had to admit, the room was humid and had a lingering stale stench.

“Ligand blah blah, do you really have to do that here?” Said Kyungwon, pulling off her shirt.

Minkyung promptly faced the other direction, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down the back of her own neck. She coughed and said, “We’re going to study later anyway. Isn’t it easier if I slip it into conversations? You’d be surprised how much you can remember this way.”

“I’d much rather treasure my conversations with you than lace them with academic jargon.” Kyungwon reached past Minkyung to retrieve her pants from the overhead shelf.

Minkyung was almost squished against the lockers now, trying to avoid touching Kyungwon at all costs. Why couldn’t this girl put on a damn shirt before coming within an inch of her skin? Minkyung closed her eyes as the excruciating seconds ticked by. This only made it worse. She could feel the heat radiating off of Kyungwon’s body. And for Merlin’s sake, why did the entire room smell awful yet Kyungwon’s sweat smelled like a strawberry field? Minkyung breathed in deeply to calm herself, but she ended up breathing in more of Kyungwon.

“Isn’t it funny how you’re a Pureblood, yet I need tutoring from you in Muggle subjects?” Kyungwon whispered so the other girls couldn’t hear. Minkyung didn’t respond. “Are you okay?”

Minkyung felt a poke to her exposed waist and looked over her shoulder, shielding her chest with a shirt put on halfway. Not like it mattered, she was facing the lockers. “I’m fine,” she squeaked and hurriedly dressed. “Besides, we’re in the same boat.”

“True,” Kyungwon nodded sagely. “Hey, mind if we stop by _that place_? I want to get a cake for my dad’s birthday and he’s always wondered what _those_ kinds of baked goods are like. He’s probably imagining the fruit to burst out and start tap dancing across the table.”

“Don’t get that one, it’s a menace to round up the fillings,” said Minkyung. She turned around to gather her scattered belongings, but her eyes strayed to the other side of the bench. “If you want to get a cake, change faster,” she said, shielding her reddening face behind her hair.

Kyungwon grinned, placed a foot on the bench, and stretched dramatically. “What’s the rush?”

Minkyung groaned internally. She really wished Kyungwon would hurry up because seeing those long, smooth legs was certainly not a joke to her. Especially not when Kyungwon was running her fingers up and down said bare, lengthy limb. After four and a half years of being best friends, some of Kyungwon’s antics have taken a rather suggestive turn. Apparently, Minkyung’s turmoil was reflected as annoyance on her face.

“Fine, I’m moving. Keep your trousers on,” laughed Kyungwon.

Minkyung sorely wished Kyungwon would listen to her own words. She let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding when Kyungwon finally buttoned her jeans and closed her locker. Shouldering her bag, Kyungwon casually intertwined her fingers with Minkyung’s and led them out of the changing room, through the back door of the school, and into the crisp, chill air.

Travel by the Underground was quick. Minkyung and Kyungwon walked for a few minutes, hands still glued together, and turned onto Charing Cross Road. Minkyung tugged on their hands, making Kyungwon stop in the middle of the snowy street.

“I just realized, I don’t think we can get in. We haven’t got a wand to tap the brick wall,” said Minkyung, looking up at the sign of the Leaky Cauldron. “I guess we could ask the bartender.”

“If you’re talking about that pub that I can’t see, we’re not going through there. I use the Muggle entrance to get supplies with Yebin,” said Kyungwon, continuing down the street with Minkyung.

“There’s a Muggle entrance?”

“Yup. It’s kind of unsettling and decrepit, but I guess that’s how wizards keep people from snooping around. Here we go.”

They came up to a shop in which everything inside was covered with white tarps. A good inch of dust carpeted the wooden floor. Kyungwon opened a side door and ushered Minkyung in. They walked down a dark hallway, the floorboards creaking under their weight. Kyungwon turned right, climbed the stairs, and pulled open a door at the end of the corridor.

“This is so creepy,” shivered Minkyung, her breath puffing out in the cold air of the vacant room. It diffused and revealed a chipped, wooden wardrobe against the opposite wall. “This reminds me of that horror movie we watched, The Conjuring.”

“Ha. Ha. Uh, let’s think about it like Narnia,” said Kyungwon nervously. She jumped conspicuously when the gusting wind outside rattled the window pane. “Land of Spare Oom.”

They clasped their hands tighter and opened the wardrobe, its door creaking outrageously. After a minute of staring at an obviously solid back panel, they stepped inside and shut the wardrobe.

“Diagon Alley,” said Kyungwon clearly.

There was a whooshing sound and a click. Minkyung grasped in the dark for the wardrobe handle and the door swung open. With a sigh of relief, they stepped out together into the snowy wizarding shopping district. Minkyung automatically glanced up at the sign over Ollivanders.

“Happy that we didn’t have to play hide-and-seek to get here?” Joked Kyungwon, shutting the door rapidly before a pair of hands could emerge.

“This is where we met,” said Minkyung, still staring up at the sign.

Kyungwon looked towards the iconic wand shop, then at Minkyung. She smiled seeing the girl so serene. She took a moment to etch in her mind how Minkyung’s eyes curved into crescents. Then with a tug on their hands, she grinned and led them to a bakery nearby.

As Minkyung suggested, Kyungwon stayed away from the tap dancing fruit cakes. Some changed colors periodically, as if a shore washed over them and painted them a new shade. A few floated upside in their cases to advertise their Anti-Accident Charms to customers. Kyungwon settled for a simple cake with fruit curd filling and icing that sparkled like the night sky. The baker said the complimentary sparklers sung Happy Birthday when lit. She handed over a Galleon and three Sickles from a stash of wizarding money and thanked him.

“Can we take a quick look in here?” Said Minkyung, peering through the display window of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.

They entered the warm shop and were greeted by dancing monkey dolls, honking bubbles, and zooming miniature broomsticks. Kyungwon immediately moved towards the sweets shelf.

“Don’t even think about it,” warned Minkyung. Kyungwon’s hand halted an inch away from a Skiving Snackbox. “You’re not skipping classes on my watch, no matter how much you despise calculus. And if you try, I’m going to take all of the restorative halves.”

“I wouldn’t dream of skipping. It’s not like you would come with me. Might as well stay in class then,” Kyungwon sniffed unconvincingly. Her words still made Minkyung smile. “What about this? A Boxing Telescope would put the Turner twins in their place. Hey, where’d you go?”

Minkyung had wandered off to a violently pink section full of WonderWitch products. The poffle of Pygmy Puffs begged for her attention. They were squeaking adorably, rolling around and fluffing up their fur. Minkyung reached down into the enclosure and tickled a pink and purple pair. They seemed to enjoy it so much, they tried to tickle each other and giggled madly.

A glowing display caught Minkyung’s eye. It looked like a cross between a giant blooming flower and a fountain. Thin wisps of fog ghosted over the petals, making the bottles inside the display look as if they were floating on clouds. Minkyung picked one up and held it close to her nose. She inhaled deeply and her mind automatically drifted to a certain brunette standing at the other end of the joke shop. No, she wouldn’t dare use it. But the scent was just so alluring.

“Love Potions?” Came Kyungwon’s voice right next to Minkyung’s ear.

“Merlin! Where did you come from?” Gasped Minkyung, almost dropping the bottle.

“Who’s it for?” Kyungwon asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Nobody. I’m not buying it. Those hats look interesting,” said Minkyung.

She quickly returned the bottle to the display and briskly walked towards a group of children making their heads disappear under a gaudy pink hat. Kyungwon reached out a long arm and tugged on Minkyung’s elbow, making her trip backwards. Kyungwon deftly caught Minkyung, completely oblivious to the fact that she was hugging Minkyung from behind.

“Don’t change the subject,” said Kyungwon.

Minkyung berated herself for enjoying the feeling of Kyungwon’s arms wrapped around her waist. She stepped forward, releasing herself from the accidental hug, and turned around.

“I’m not. I already said, I’m not buying a Love Potion. There’s no use in making someone obsess over me when it’s not real attraction,” shrugged Minkyung, feigning nonchalance.

“Who’s the someone that made you consider looking at the Love Potions but then made you realize you’d prefer their real attraction?” Kyungwon spouted off.

Minkyung stared at her friend. “What?” She asked in confusion.

Kyungwon replayed the words in her head and concluded she really should organize her thoughts better. And perhaps not sound so pushy about this subject. “Ahem. Girl talk, you know. You’ve got a crush on someone? Do they go to our school?” She asked, trying to sound casual.

“No,” answered Minkyung vaguely.

“No, what?” Questioned Kyungwon, prodding Minkyung’s arm.

“No, I… I don’t like anyone,” Minkyung lied. Why was Kyungwon so keen to find out? “Now that that’s settled, we should get going. Our lab report isn’t going to write itself.”

To Minkyung’s surprise, Kyungwon stared at her for a moment, then agreed. She wasn’t going to complain about Kyungwon going peacefully. Yet the girl’s face looked oddly emotionless, which was never a word that described Kyungwon. Her friend was stunning as always, Minkyung couldn’t deny that. But without her signature grin, Kyungwon didn’t seem like herself.

Kyungwon must have noticed as her lips immediately stretched into a wide smile. “Let’s go. We have to run if we don’t want to be caught in a game of hide-and-seek.” Kyungwon clapped three times in front of Minkyung’s face, who shoved them away in fright. Kyungwon grabbed onto Minkyung’s hand and pulled her out of the shop towards the wardrobe in the street.

The pair soon arrived at Kyungwon’s snow-dusted house. They stowed the cake away in the fridge, setting the pack of singing sparklers on the counter. Kyungwon offered to make them hot chocolate. Minkyung went ahead upstairs and laid out all of their textbooks and notes on the bedroom carpet. Kyungwon arrived with two steaming hot mugs and sat down next to Minkyung, leaning her back against her bed.

Despite Kyungwon’s refusal, Minkyung coaxed her into starting with calculus saying the sooner they finished it, the sooner they could forget it. Kyungwon was pleased to find the homework was relatively easy, probably because she had help. They moved on to history next, which was a simple synopsis of the documentary they watched in class. Minkyung stopped Kyungwon from writing any further because her paper had morphed into a plot outline of Pirates of the Caribbean. Kyungwon argued it gave the British Navy a more exciting backstory, but Minkyung just glared at her until she started on a fresh sheet of paper.

While they had reading to do for their literature elective, Minkyung reluctantly allowed Kyungwon to skip it. Their essay wasn’t due until after holiday break. However, she stood firm on making Kyungwon help with their lab write-up for biology as this was due Monday.

“Centrifuge this saliva. Centrifuge out that precipitate. Ugh, my brain feels like it’s been centrifuged,” whined Kyungwon. She rubbed her eyes and stretched. Her back ached from hunching over her laptop to type their report for the past hour. The sky outside had grown dark.

Minkyung’s eyes flitted to Kyungwon’s exposed stomach where her shirt had ridden up. Her smooth skin seemed to glow. And were those abs? Minkyung gained back her senses when Kyungwon brought her arms down. “Why did you sign up for advanced biology if you don’t like it?” Asked Minkyung, more to test if she was in full control of her mind again.

“Because you enrolled for it,” said Kyungwon immediately.

Minkyung paused, trying to keep a straight face. “You could have signed up for something else.”

“Like what?” Kyungwon yawned and rested her head on Minkyung’s shoulder.

“Like, um.” Minkyung struggled to think with the scent of Kyungwon’s shampoo floating around her. “Drawing,” she blurted, staring at Kyungwon’s wall of sketches. “You like art.”

“I do, but you don’t. Besides I can draw at home. I’d rather take a class you’re in than be stuck with anyone else in a class I don’t care for anyway.”

Minkyung couldn’t hold back her smile. How could Kyungwon say such things so easily? More importantly, how can such simple mundane words render Minkyung so weak?

“Shall we get back to that dreaded report?” Groaned Kyungwon, sitting up.

“Leave it. We’ll finish it tomorrow. Let’s play Super Smash Bros.”

Kyungwon’s head whipped around so fast, her neck cricked. “Did I hear wrong?” She tapped the side of her head as if expelling water from her ear after swimming. “Play games instead of finishing homework?”

Minkyung laughed and held Kyungwon’s hand still before she made herself dizzy. “That’s right. Let’s drop this awful report and relax.”

Kyungwon leaned back a bit, her eyes wide as if Minkyung had grown two new heads. “You’ve gone mad,” she said slowly. Then she grinned. “I love it.”

As fast as a Firebolt, Kyungwon shot up from her seat and began fiddling with her game console, which had grown dusty during their midterms. Minkyung happily packed up their books and set their bags aside. Leaning back, she waited while sipping her hot chocolate. 

Kyungwon spun on her heels, a controller in each hand. Her grin was so wide, she mirrored Yewon’s perpetually happy expression. Then it faltered so that she looked slightly queasy.

Minkyung looked up in concern. “What’s wrong? She asked.

Kyungwon lowered her arms slowly. She opened her mouth before closing it again, apparently thinking hard about how to phrase her words. Minkyung waited patiently. “Nothing’s wrong, but I was wondering if we could… try something,” said Kyungwon cryptically. She bit her lip, anxious to hear Minkyung’s answer. She couldn’t have meant it to look seductive, but it did.

Minkyung felt nervous. It wasn’t a kind of foreboding. It was more like excited anticipation. “Okay,” she said softly without asking what Kyungwon wanted to do.

“Scoot forward.” Minkyung did as she was told.

Kyungwon handed a controller to Minkyung, then walked around her and sat between her and the bed. She gently pulled Minkyung’s shoulder back. Her elbows rested on her bent knees. Her arms wrapped around Minkyung loosely and held the second controller in front of them.

Minkyung would have hyperventilated if she hadn’t been holding her breath. She was sitting between Kyungwon’s legs, her back flush against Kyungwon’s front. She held her controller in her lap, not daring to move. Was Kyungwon trying to kill her? At least she’d die happy.

“You’re so tense,” giggled Kyungwon.

Her voice sounded ten times louder in Minkyung’s ear. At the sound of a virtual siren, Minkyung’s eyes focused on the TV screen. She hadn’t realized the game started. She didn’t even remember picking a character. Yet there Cloud was, battling against Kirby the Hedgehog. _Wait, Sonic the Hedgehog. No, this was Kirby. I’m going mad_.

Minkyung tried to focus on the game. But she was finding it extremely difficult when she could feel Kyungwon breathe, the girl’s chest expanding and deflating against Minkyung’s back. She could feel Kyungwon’s biceps twitch when pressing the controller buttons. She felt the tips of Kyungwon’s hair tickle her neck.

“You’re falling.”

“What?” Minkyung turned her head to look over her right shoulder. Her eyes widened and she froze, almost bumping noses with Kyungwon.

“Your avatar. Cloud is falling,” grinned Kyungwon. When Minkyung didn’t respond, she explained, “You have to rebound off… off the falling… debris…” Her words trailed off when she met Minkyung’s stare. She was just as surprised at their close proximity.

Minkyung felt Kyungwon stop breathing. Her eyes traveled from Kyungwon’s effortlessly alluring gaze, to her perfectly straight nose, and settled on her pink lips that still held a trace of a smile.

“Kyungwon,” whispered Minkyung. Before she could say any more, Kyungwon leaned forward.

Fireworks were an understatement. Minkyung felt like the entire universe had halted just for the two of them. She didn’t have butterflies in her stomach. Instead, her heart ached tremendously. But it was such a pleasurable, primal ache. She wanted to smile and shout and dance. But at the same time, she wanted to remain perfectly still, as close to Kyungwon as possible. She never wanted to let go. She wanted to make this moment last forever.

All of a sudden, the world starting revolving again. They were both breathing heavily. At some point, Kyungwon’s left arm had circled around Minkyung’s waist. Her right hand gently held Minkyung’s jaw. Her thumb caressed Minkyung’s blushing cheek.

Minkyung dared to open her eyes. She was scared that this moment wasn’t real. But she had to know. And there were Kyungwon’s fine features, less than an inch away, her eyes still closed.

“Kyungwon,” breathed Minkyung. Her heart ached as the name left her lips.

Kyungwon opened her eyes and stared deep into Minkyung’s. Slowly, hopefully, a grin spread across her face. “Is it too soon?”

Minkyung repressed a shiver from hearing Kyungwon’s deep, soft voice. “Too soon for what?”

Kyungwon leaned in closer, her lips barely brushing against Minkyung’s. “Is it too soon to tell you, I love you?” She whispered.

Minkyung couldn’t bother answering. She was too busy kissing Kyungwon at the moment. As far as Minkyung was concerned, she and Kyungwon were the two most magical people on Earth.


	2. Chapter 2

The kitchen was filled with the sounds of chopping and sizzling. The aromas of fresh herbs and spices wafted throughout the house. Pots clanked loudly in their haste to begin boiling soup and sauces on the stove. The more food that was prepped, the fuller the trash bin became. Once the thin black line along the side was crossed, the compost vanished.

“Yewon, where’s the oregano? I just had it.”

“Sorry, I thought you were done. It’s back on the spice rack.”

Minkyung opened a two-by-one foot wooden panel. Inside was a rolling spice rack that extended well beyond the external dimensions of the cabinet. It currently displayed a number of natural sea, rock, and seasoned salts along the top row. The bottom row held various peppercorn grinders. Minkyung looped her index finger around the bars of the rack and gave it a strong push to the left. The rack scrolled sideways to reveal two rows of fresh green herbs.

“So what were you saying about Arithmancy?” Asked Minkyung as she chopped three oregano leaves into ribbons and stirred them into a tomato cream sauce.

“I told Yebin during third year to just take Arithmancy, but she insisted on Divination instead. We have O.W.L.s at the end of the year. She’s been complaining nonstop, saying there should be a ‘RateMyProfessors’ for Hogwarts, whatever that is. Apparently, Trelawney doubled their workload,” frowned Yewon, chopping up two carrots into perfect squares.

“Are the two that different? Predicting the future and reading omens is generally an imprecise branch of magic anyway,” wondered Minkyung as she halved an onion.

“But Arithmancy uses patterns. It’s practical. I can see numbers written on my paper and I can count how many dishes we have. By the way, we should get started on that pie.”

“On it!” Sniffed Minkyung with watery eyes. She slid the chopped onions into a sizzling pan before bustling over to the free counter space with some flour, sugar, and eggs.

“Whereas Divination,” Yewon continued, “is just a load of hogwash. Do you know how many times she’s run up to me after a practical, ecstatic that she faked her way to an Exceeds Expectations?”

Minkyung snorted. She was reminded of a certain brunette who successfully submitted the same book report on two separate occasions. Minkyung asserted it was considered plagiarism, even if it was her own work. The girl begged Minkyung to just let her have the A as her GPA sorely needed it. Yebin and Kyungwon were so similar despite arguing otherwise.

Yewon sautéed the carrots with the caramelized onions while an enchanted knife chopped the celery. “Yebin never saw so much as a fingerprint when peering into a crystal ball. She admitted fortune telling is as much of a joke in the wizarding world as it is for Muggles.”

“So did Trelawney ever catch on? Is that why Yebin has twice as much work over the holidays?” Minkyung looked up from kneading her pie crust dough.

“Nah. Everyone knows Trelawney’s an old fraud. Yebin is just grumpy because she has to make up twice as much nonsense than usual. And I won’t help her.”

“Look at you, exerting your authority like the cutie prefect you are,” cooed Minkyung.

Yewon cracked a smile, her eyes disappearing into crescents. “It’s not my fault she won’t listen. She just has to suck it up and pass her exam so she can drop it next year,” she shrugged.

Minkyung chuckled. She should take a leaf out of Yewon’s book, but she knew she’d never have the willpower to say no to Kyungwon. “What about Potions? Are you still keeping up?” Minkyung asked as she set aside the dough to chill and began cooking down some peaches and sugar.

“Potions is fantastic!” Exclaimed Yewon. “If anything, it’s getting easier. The brews are much more complicated, but my techniques have improved. Slughorn says I have the sophistication and artistic skill of a true potioneer.”

Minkyung beamed in pride at her sister. Potions was Yewon’s favorite subject; she excelled in it since entering Hogwarts and didn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. At the same time, Minkyung was relieved that Yewon could find her own unique passion. She was always so timid as a child, too shy to try new things without Minkyung’s approval. But earning praises from the school’s Potions Master seemed to instill a new confidence in Yewon. She was bolder now, in actions and speech. Minkyung couldn’t be happier at how much Yewon’s grown.

As if reading Minkyung’s mind, Yewon said, “I wouldn’t be so great at Potions if it weren’t for you.” She wore a soft, appreciative expression, one full of sincere gratitude.

“Me?” Scoffed Minkyung. “I didn’t do anything. It’s all you. You turned potential into talent.”

Yewon shook her head and transferred the sautéed vegetables into a self-boiling pot, adding a small chicken, water, and salt. She covered it with a lid and the pot immediately began boiling on the kitchen table. “I learn so much just by talking to you. It’s much easier to retain information you tell me than from reading a book. I know so many properties of herbs at this point, I can edit my potions to a specific potency. I’ve earned my house loads of points from Slughorn that way.”

Minkyung’s heart nearly shriveled out of embarrassment. She didn’t know how to respond. Thankful nonetheless, she settled for squishing Yewon in a hug without warning. Yewon’s whines sounded like meows. Though by how much more her eyes disappeared, the hug was not completely unwanted. Minkyung took the chance to land a smooch on Yewon’s crown.

~|~|~|~

“Yebin, we have to go or we’ll be late!”

“Just give me like ten seconds! I have to wrap my presents!”

Kyungwon glanced at the clock on the wall. Hopefully they hadn’t missed the bus. She shifted the items in her arms. Yebin brought her gifts home from Hogwarts. She should’ve wrapped them using magic before she arrived back in London. Before Kyungwon could complain again, Yebin shot down the stairs at top speed, carrying a lot more than just presents.

“Uh…” Kyungwon eyed the bush of twigs sticking out from behind Yebin’s head. “You’re taking that on the bus?”

Yebin grinned. “No, we’re taking this _instead_ of the bus. It’s quicker so you can’t blame me for being late. Besides, I’m trying to save my money.”

“Question. Where did you steal that from?” Asked Kyungwon suspiciously. She didn’t remember their mother allowing Yebin to buy a broomstick.

“I didn’t steal it,” drawled Yebin as she strapped on her winter boots. “Captain gave me her old broom to practice over the holidays. Says my beating’s on point but my flying needs work.”

“Right. You’re the destructive one on the pitch,” mumbled Kyungwon, feigning ignorance.

Yebin looked offended. “I don’t damage things with my bat… The Bludger does that perfectly fine on its own. I just help it along,” she shrugged with a small grimace.

“Didn’t you join the team to relieve your violent tendencies?” Teased Kyungwon, locking the door behind them.

“I don’t have violent tendencies. I’m just stressed. Quidditch is a legal sport, mind you.”

Yebin clicked her tongue and led Kyungwon around the house and into the forest lining the dead end of their street. Checking to make sure nobody was around, Yebin lifted the broom off her shoulder and held it parallel to the ground. She helped Kyungwon onto the back of the broom, slid the bag with their presents over the handle, and mounted the broom herself. She kicked off the ground and they flew through the bare canopy, just low enough to remain hidden.

~|~|~|~

“Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas! Come on in, it’s freezing outside.”

Kyungwon and Yebin stepped into the foyer, their cheeks rosy from the slicing cold wind.

Yebin opened her mouth. “In the kitchen,” said Minkyung knowingly.

The young witch hopped out of her boots and ran to the kitchen shouting, “Ye-won-ie!”

Minkyung giggled and turned around. When their eyes met, she couldn’t contain her smile.

“Hey,” said Kyungwon simply, her grin broader than ever.

“Hey, yourself,” said Minkyung softly. She reached up and dusted the snowflakes off of Kyungwon’s hair and shoulders.

Kyungwon took advantage of their position and pecked Minkyung on the lips. Minkyung’s initial surprise turned into a playful glare. Kyungwon looked mighty proud of herself.

“Give me your broom and coat. You can set those over there,” said Minkyung.

She walked over to a closet by the stairs and turned the doorknob to the left. She hung Kyungwon’s coat and scarf on an empty hanger, grabbed Yebin’s winter-wear that had been discarded on a chair, and hung those up as well. Then, she closed the door and turned the doorknob to the right. There was a soft click. She stored the broom in the broom closet and returned the doorknob to the coat setting.

Minkyung walked over to Kyungwon, who was kneeling to set the last of her and Yebin’s presents under the Christmas tree. Kyungwon’s hair had been mussed by her flight. Rather than looking disheveled however, it gave her a roguish appearance. Minkyung reached out and threaded her long fingers through Kyungwon’s silky chestnut hair. Kyungwon paused in her motions and looked up at Minkyung with that same bright smile the older girl loved. They stared at each other in comfortable silence.

“Are you two done making out?”

“What? We weren’t— Yebin!” Shouted Kyungwon, glaring at her sister. Yebin held her stomach as she cackled in the kitchen doorway.

“You told her?” Asked Minkyung in surprise.

It’s not like they were trying to hide their relationship. She just thought it would be awkward since Yewon and Yebin were best friends. If it were up to her girlfriend, Kyungwon would’ve hiked up Mount Everest and beamed the message up to NASA for a global broadcast.

“No?” Said Kyungwon in just as much confusion.

They heard a snort from Yebin. “Please, the whole world knows, wizarding and Muggle.” Kyungwon raised her eyebrow at this. She was sure she had not carried out her intended plan. “Fine, Yewon told me,” admitted Yebin, rolling her eyes. She frowned and rubbed the back of her head. “Hit me when I said it came as a shock.”

“Because you’re so oblivious,” said Yewon, appearing at Yebin’s side. “I had my own suspicions, but wasn’t sure until Nayoung sent me an owl.”

“And how does Nayoung know?” Minkyung asked incredulously. “We just started dating last month and Nayoung hasn’t been home since beginning Auror training.”

“No idea. Intuition? Guess that’s what makes her suited for the job,” laughed Yewon. “Anyway, Yebin and I will finish cooking.”

“We will?” Said Yebin flatly. Yewon shot her a reproving look coupled with a pinch. “I mean, of course we will,” said Yebin, her tone rising to sound chipper.

Kyungwon gasped dramatically. “Who are you, and what have you done with my gremlin?”

Yebin narrowed her eyes. “I do actually listen to people. Just not you.” She stuck her tongue out.

Yewon continued, “Minkyung, why don’t you show Kyungwon your greenhouse?” The resident angel gave her sister a wink before turning around, dragging Yebin back into the kitchen. At the mention of Divination, Yebin forgot about Kyungwon and rattled off a whole list of complaints.

“Greenhouse?” Said Kyungwon, glancing at Minkyung. “You never told me you grew flowers.” Rather than sounding hurt, Kyungwon spoke as if it was the most intriguing fact she had ever learned and was eager to find out more about Minkyung.

Minkyung looked thoughtfully outside the window, watching the flurries of snow drift casually to the ground. “Before that, I want you to help me with something.”

~|~|~|~

The two girls trudged through the snow blanketing broken branches and mats of moss. Kyungwon was pleasantly surprised. The outer edge of the forest looked barren, as it should be in winter. But the further they trekked, the more lush and vibrant the vegetation grew. Kyungwon thought they looked pretty silly wearing coats and boots in a clearing that made it seem like the peak of springtime. Skirting around a pond, Minkyung led Kyungwon to the entrance of a cave behind a curtain of vines. The air felt cold and crisp, much like everywhere outside the forest.

“She should be nearby,” said Minkyung, rapping her knuckles on various rocks.

“Who should?” Asked Kyungwon, standing in the middle of the chamber cluelessly.

Minkyung tapped a slightly paler boulder on the ground. A ball of light shot out from a crevice. “Hello there, you’re looking beautiful as always.”

Kyungwon eyed the giggling ball of light curiously. Stepping closer, she realized it was a glowing miniature person with wings. _So Tinkerbells exist,_ she thought.

“I’m here to harvest it. Mind showing us the way?” Asked Minkyung hopefully.

The Fairy nodded and flitted down a maze of passages until they came to a sort of underground garden. It was even colder in here than the rest of London, yet the entire chamber was filled with blooming flowers along the ground and walls.

“Over here.” Minkyung beckoned Kyungwon to a far wall and crouched down by a stump. Its wood was the deep shade of a clear night sky. “This,” Minkyung petted the trunk affectionately, “is a Tundra Trunk.”

Kyungwon’s watch vibrated. She glanced at the digital numbers reading 5:13 PM. She recalled the weather report on her computer stated this time to be sundown. A sudden rumbling alerted her. The top surface of the trunk split open to reveal an orifice out of which a bright, sapphire flame ignited. Kyungwon leapt back and tried to pull Minkyung safely away from the fire. Minkyung didn’t flinch and just smiled up at her. Kyungwon soon realized why. The flames reached out to nearby plants growing vertically along the rocky walls. Their leaves crystallized like ice upon contact with the blue tendrils.

Kyungwon cleared her throat in an attempt to sound natural. “Well, frostbite is still a nasty thing to deal with. Better wear gloves just in case.”

Kyungwon slipped her own pair of warm gloves over Minkyung’s hands. The older girl smiled at the gesture, not bothering to explain that the wood of the stump actually remained room temperature. She didn’t think her girlfriend would appreciate a sudden lecture on homeostasis. Together, they chipped away at the roots until the stump was free from the stones.

“Do you only need one?” Asked Kyungwon, eyeing the rather plain trunk nearby.

“For now. I’ll harvest its brother during the summer,” said Minkyung. She moved to take the stump from Kyungwon, but the girl stepped back and shook her head.

“I’ll carry it. You lead the way,” smiled Kyungwon.

Minkyung glanced at Kyungwon’s slightly shaking arms. The trunk was quite heavy despite being a sapling compared to the others. Kyungwon had also been shivering since they entered the cave, having given her scarf to Minkyung. Deciding not to prolong their trip for Kyungwon’s sake, Minkyung nodded at the Fairy to lead the way out of the maze system. Before leaving the cave, Minkyung insisted Kyungwon take her gloves back.

Wanting to relieve Kyungwon of delivery duty as soon as possible, Minkyung walked briskly out of the forest and around her house to a green glass building in the backyard. With a huff, Kyungwon placed the stump on its designated bedrock.

Kyungwon swept her hair out of her face and sighed. Then, she cleared her throat and stood as tall as possible with her shoulders back, grinning at Minkyung. “Easy peasy lemon squeezy.”

“Sure it was,” Minkyung laughed and wiped off a bead of sweat that had frozen to Kyungwon’s temple. Her fingers strayed upward and slowly combed through Kyungwon’s soft brown hair.

A tinkling echoed in the silent greenhouse. They both looked up. “You planted a mistletoe?” Kyungwon said in a low voice, staring at the glistening white berries above their heads.

“I didn’t,” said Minkyung slowly. Her lips curved at the corners. She had a good idea who did.

“Minkyung,” whispered Kyungwon.

Still staring up at the decorative plant, Minkyung felt an arm wrap around her waist and a hand rest gently on her hip. A familiar bubbling sensation rose in her stomach. Her head felt fuzzy, like a wave of pure bliss had washed over her. She tilted her head down and was met with Kyungwon’s signature grin, her eyes sparkling with adoration. Minkyung brushed her nose against Kyungwon’s. She closed her eyes as she felt Kyungwon’s soft lips press against hers.

There it was again. That rush of time standing still just for them. That excited anticipation that made Minkyung feel like she was floating. That deep aching in her heart that she secretly craved every day when she saw Kyungwon and every night when she went to sleep.

Kyungwon shifted slightly. Minkyung’s hands crept up to circle around Kyungwon’s neck, closing the nonexistent space between them. Kyungwon’s hand tightened unconsciously over Minkyung’s hip. She tilted her head, tentatively adding a bit more pressure. Minkyung responded with twice as much passion.

There was a squeak. Then another. Then three more. All at once, Minkyung felt cold and dizzy as reality kicked back into motion. She opened her eyes and saw a breathless Kyungwon. They stared at each other, confused yet unwilling to let go. Their attention was drawn to a very loud squeak from the corner. They both turned their heads slowly.

A sturdy Leaping Toadstool seemed to be directing a whole herd of its kind. Tall fungi hoisted their smaller counterparts onto their umbrella caps. The small shrooms gave a hop with that defining squeak and bounded up into an open sack of rich dark soil. They wriggled around and flung out mounds of dirt with every jump. The ones below helped spread the dirt around the bedrock the Tundra Trunk was planted on. The trunk extended its new-grown roots deep into the soil. The small toadstools leapt out of the bag and joined the rest of the herd as they all buried their stems in the box, keeping the stump company. They squeaked no more.

Kyungwon sighed, resting her forehead against Minkyung’s. “You know, sometimes I think magic is such a nuisance.”

“I can’t imagine why,” giggled Minkyung, massaging the back of Kyungwon’s neck. Her heart was still pounding in her chest. Her cheeks were sore from smiling, but she didn’t care. “We should head back in for dinner.”

Minkyung laughed as she dragged her groaning girlfriend by the hand through the snow to the glowing house with smoke billowing from its chimney.

~|~|~|~

After a hearty Christmas meal, the four girls settled in the living room, each with a steaming mug of frothy Butterbeer. Yebin’s itching hands moved towards the tree. Kyungwon glared at her. Yebin’s hand stopped inches away from a shiny box like a Niffler caught in the act. Minkyung had just stepped out to the back porch to check on their family owl hooting noisily. She came back with a package that was supposedly Nayoung’s reply to their own Christmas greetings.

“Now, we’re ready,” said Kyungwon as Minkyung sat next to her on the floor. Kyungwon’s left arm wrapped around Minkyung’s waist while Minkyung’s hand rested on Kyungwon’s knee.

Yebin happily snatched up the shiny box with her name written in the corner and ripped off the paper. “No way! But you—” Yebin stared at Kyungwon with wide eyes.

Kyungwon rubbed the back of her neck bashfully, ducking her head as if to hide behind Minkyung’s shoulder. “Of course I listen to you ramble on about school. I’m really happy you found something you enjoy. Honestly,” she said, staring at the foam in her mug.

The box in Yebin’s lap was a set of brand new Quidditch gloves and a Beater’s bat. The hilt of the bat was glossy. The gloves were sturdy and fit Yebin’s hands perfectly. They had a fantastic grip and weren’t restrictive like the ones she borrowed. These were also slimmer. The pair from school made her look clunky and dorky, especially with her small build.

Yebin looked like she wanted to both cry and laugh, as if on the brink of hysteria. Minkyung already knew this, but the current atmosphere made it extremely obvious. The one thing the Kang sisters could not handle was being sincere and mushy to each other. Yebin settled for a feeble but emotional “Thanks,” to which Kyungwon awkwardly raised her mug in cheers. Minkyung could see her hiding her grin while pretending to take a sip.

The next gift was from Minkyung. She bought Yebin a pair of fuzzy slippers that warmed up whenever someone put their feet in. Yebin complained about the cold floor of her dormitory during the winter for the past two years. She was forced out of her old room due to her roommate’s cursed dresser being trapped in there.

Yebin unwrapped another box, this one from Yewon. It contained perfectly aligned bottles of Pepper-Up Potions. At least, that’s what they were labeled. But from Minkyung’s knowledge, they weren’t supposed to be thick nor have a warm brown color.

“You always get sick at the height of the Quidditch season, especially when your schoolwork piles up. But you hate the bitter taste of them. So I made a batch that looks and tastes like chocolate syrup. You can even mix it with warm milk,” said Yewon shyly.

Minkyung had the faintest inkling that Yewon wasn’t just being modest about her aptitude for Potions. If she was, Yewon’s cheeks wouldn’t be tinged with a rosy pink. The blush only grew after Yebin had crushed her in a hug.

To finish it off, Yebin opened the giant package from Nayoung and retrieved two identical boxes, one for herself and one for Yewon. They decided to open them together. Yewon’s was a scrumptious assortment of chocolates with coffee and caramel nougat. A note fell out.

“Don’t let Yebin drag you into plans of raiding the kitchens. You’re a prefect. From Nayoung,” read Yewon with a giggle, her eyes turning into crescents.

“Psh, she’s just joking,” laughed Yebin nervously. She opened her own box that had the same assortment of sweets. She opened the card. “Don’t drag Yewon into plans of raiding the kitchens. She’s a prefect. From Nayoung,” she read flatly. The rest chuckled at her crestfallen face. Miles away in London, Nayoung the former Head Girl was still watching her like a hawk.

Yewon pulled out a rolled up cloth from a gift bag. A light but warm cloak unraveled itself over her lap. Kyungwon said, with a smug expression directed at Yebin who was determinedly avoiding her eyes, that Yewon was always supporting Yebin from the stands during Quidditch matches and practices. Since Hogwarts was far north, it must be cold for most of term.

“If you’re not going to spend your time wisely by doing _anything_ else other than accompanying my gremlin, you might as well stay warm and healthy,” said Kyungwon cheekily. Yebin made the effort to stretch five feet across the carpet and shove Kyungwon’s shoulder.

Minkyung handed her own present to Yewon, who took out the tissue paper excitedly. She pulled out a bright yellow cushion lined with soft fur. She was already happy with it as is, but Yebin’s burst of laughter confused her. She looked at Minkyung and Kyungwon, both biting their lips to stifle their giggles. When she asked what was funny, Minkyung typed a colon and a capital D into her phone, picked up the cushion, and held both on either side of Yewon’s head.

Yebin caught Minkyung’s stare. “Yewonie, you look so cute when you smile,” she said truthfully. Yewon beamed automatically upon being complimented. Her smile broadened and her eyes disappeared into crescents.

Kyungwon only stopped shaking long enough to take a picture with her own phone before showing it to the rest of the girls. Yewon finally joined in the laughter. What Minkyung called an emoji looked exactly like she did with her beaming expression as bright as sunshine. The cushion’s mouth, that of the typed emoji on Minkyung’s phone, and her own mouth were all opened wide, as if serenading the world with the most joyous Christmas carol in history.

“If you’re ever having a bad day, just give it a hug,” said Minkyung.

Yewon did so as if testing it and immediately sat up straight. Her expression looked both bright and inquisitive. “You sprayed this with a potion. Elixir to Induce Euphoria, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Look at you, already recognizing Sixth Year material.” Minkyung grinned proudly at her sister. “Mum helped me make the potion, using ingredients from the greenhouse.”

Yebin scooted next to Yewon and sniffed the cushion. She sat up looking dazed and giggly. “It smells like sugar, whipped cream, and happiness.”

“And you look high,” guffawed Kyungwon. Yebin had apparently inhaled so much of the potion’s vapors, she didn’t care what Kyungwon said.

“Last but not least, Yebin’s present,” said Minkyung, handing over a carefully wrapped rectangular box. For a second, she thought it might have been an Ollivander wand. She noticed Yebin had quieted down from her laughing fit and was now watching Yewon anxiously.

“Oh my… It’s… Yebin, it’s beautiful,” gasped Yewon.

She held up a single rose. Its stem and leaves seemed to be carved out of emerald. Its petals were thin sheets of ruby. Its reflective quality made the firelight in the room dance across the walls as Yewon rotated it between her fingers.

Minkyung glanced at the oddly silent Yebin. Yewon and Kyungwon were both marveling over the stunning flower. Yebin, however, was looking right at Yewon. It had been a while since Minkyung saw the girl without a smirk. Instead, Yebin’s smile was simply serene. Minkyung had a gut feeling that Yebin wasn’t as emotionally oblivious as everyone made her seem.

“Well, I’ve been getting along in Charms fairly well. It’s the only subject you and Nayoung never needed to tutor me in. I picked the last rose from the Grounds when we first got back in September and tried to preserve it,” said Yebin softly. Her words were cut off when Yewon leaned over and swiftly pressed a kiss to Yebin’s cheek. Yebin grinned like a fool.

Minkyung almost squealed and held her left hand over her mouth. Her right hand was squishing her girlfriend’s fingers. Kyungwon had slapped her free hand over her eyes. She seriously deliberated whether to make fun of Yebin or squeal like Minkyung. She decided it was best to remain silent and thus shielded her eyes in second-hand embarrassment.

“Alright, your presents,” said Yewon cheerfully as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. She shook Yebin’s hand to tell her to get the gifts, and didn’t let go. Yebin cleared her throat, her cheeks on fire, and pushed their sisters’ gifts forward without a word.

Minkyung received a joint present from the two. They had gone to Dogweed and Deathcap in Hogsmeade and bought her a variety pack of seeds. She was ecstatic. There were packets for Shrivelfigs, Puffapods, Dittany, and Starthistle.

Yewon spoke up, still holding Yebin’s hand. “I noticed you ran out of Nettles to make soup and wine, so there’s a few packets of those. And I know nasturtium doesn’t really have any uses…”

“But it makes for a wonderful ornamental plant. I’ve been meaning to decorate the greenhouse. Thank you, you two. It’s lovely,” said Minkyung, smiling at the pair of witches.

She then unwrapped an irregularly shaped object from Nayoung. It was similar to a snow globe. But instead of small figurines and white chunks floating around, the glass sphere functioned more like a captured piece of the night sky. The card said it was to put in Minkyung’s dark corner for the plants that required moon and starlight instead of sunlight to bloom. Minkyung had been wondering how to enchant her greenhouse to absorb more of the moonlight, but the natural sky was often cloudy during the winter. This was a perfect solution.

Kyungwon went next. She picked up a large package from the floor and tore off the paper. It was an assortment of tea leaves from Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. Kyungwon was very pleased with the variety. Yebin and Yewon chose well. But when she looked up to thank them, she was perturbed. Yewon gave her an apologetic smile while Yebin looked to be on the verge of cracking up again. Kyungwon looked to Minkyung for an explanation. Her girlfriend seemed to be holding back a grin, herself.

“Madam Puddifoot’s is a popular tea shop in Hogsmeade,” said Minkyung vaguely. Kyungwon raised her eyebrow and waited. “It’s popular for couples to have dates at,” Minkyung finished.

Realization dawned on Kyungwon. To be honest, she was quite happy with the gift. She loved tea and got Minkyung into it as well. And it seemed rather thoughtful that Yewon and Yebin had gotten her something, seemingly after Nayoung told them she was dating Minkyung. But Yebin just wouldn’t stop cackling like a madwoman. Kyungwon sighed and decided to hold her tongue. It’s what made Yebin, Yebin. She wouldn’t have her gremlin any other way.

The last box under the tree was from Nayoung. She had gifted Kyungwon a set of pencils, pens, quills, and various bottles of ink. The card said they were enchanted to bring her sketches to life. Ever since she first perused Yebin’s textbooks, she’s been amazed at how the pictures were able to move. She told the others they resembled GIFs printed on parchment.

“What about your gifts to each other?” Asked Yewon curiously.

Minkyung and Kyungwon shared a look, both with an aura of shy anticipation. “Can I give it in private?” They asked in unison and immediately smiled.

“Is it something lewd? Ow!” Yebin rubbed her arm where Yewon had smacked her.

“Okay, you’re like five. What do they teach you at Hogwarts?” Spluttered Kyungwon, aghast. Minkyung looked down at her lap, hiding her bright red cheeks behind her hair.

“I’m only a year younger than you. Besides, teenagers are the physical antonym of innocent. You know how many times Yewon’s caught couples snogging at night in the corridors and classrooms? We’d all be out of House Points if she could deduct—mmph!”

“Kyungwon, you and Yebin can stay over since it’s late and our parents are away on holiday. Yebin and I will be in my room, _not_ making a disturbance. Night!” Chirped Yewon, dragging Yebin up the stairs with her hand slapped firmly over her friend’s mouth. Yebin’s muffled shouts decreased until the slam of Yewon’s door rung throughout the house.

Minkyung finally lifted her head. Her girlfriend’s mortified expression was enough to make her laugh, which set Kyungwon off too.

~|~|~|~

“Merry Christmas,” said Minkyung softly, handing a flat, rectangular box to Kyungwon.

The two were sitting on Minkyung’s high, comfy bed. The door was locked, ensuring a certain gremlin would not barge in. Kyungwon carefully removed the paper and took off the lid. Nestled inside a foam layer was a silver picture frame. The photo itself was moving. Kyungwon smiled, reminiscing the day Minkyung took it.

Kyungwon had forewarned Minkyung in June that she would be holed up in her room for the next week and it totally wasn’t Minkyung’s fault. Deeply concerned, the Pureblood asked what was wrong. Unabashedly, Kyungwon admitted she entered an online tournament for Super Smash Bros. Minkyung was skeptical at first because it sounded like online gambling. From what she’s seen in a few Muggle newspapers, that wasn’t a good, nor usually legal, thing to do. Kyungwon assured her that it was a _friendly_ competition to see who was the boss of all bosses and deserved eternal bragging rights. She invited Minkyung over to watch if the girl didn’t believe her, though she added Minkyung might get bored. To her pleasant surprise, Minkyung had accepted and proceeded to spend the entire week over at Kyungwon’s. The gamer had absolutely no objections to this proposal.

Minkyung had personally taken the photo. Kyungwon was on the verge of dying when her character followed through with its final move and knocked her opponent out of the arena. A giant K.O. flashed over the other person’s life bar and their character dropped unconscious. Mirroring her on-screen persona, Kyungwon jumped high in the air, her controller landing safely on the bed. She scooped Minkyung up by the waist and twirled around, the camera capturing both of them in cheers of glorious victory.

Kyungwon grinned at the photo reflecting her exact memory. It showed the entire scene. Then, the two-dimensional Kyungwon and Minkyung looked out of the photo and _waved_ at her. The real Kyungwon didn’t remember waving at the camera. It must be common for the subjects of charmed pictures to acknowledge their audience.

“There’s one more part.” Kyungwon looked up and Minkyung handed her a tiny velvet box.

She didn’t want to jump to conclusions. It could be any piece of jewelry. It might not even be jewelry at all. Strangely, Kyungwon felt her stomach drop at the suspicion that it _wasn’t_ the specific piece of jewelry she had in mind. She saw Minkyung biting her lip nervously.

With slightly shaking fingers, Kyungwon pulled back the lid. She was speechless. Resting between two cushion halves was a shining, thin silver band. Along the top was a spiral of tiny diamonds, reminiscent of flowering vines.

“D-do you like it?” Stuttered Minkyung. She was twiddling her thumbs in her lap.

Instead of answering, Kyungwon took one of Minkyung’s hands, weaved their fingers together, and pulled gently. She gave Minkyung a long, passionate kiss, attempting to convey all of her emotions. When Minkyung felt a tear trickle down between their cheeks, she leaned back. Kyungwon’s eyes were watering slightly. She tried to grin, but her lips quivered too much.

“I’m guessing you like the promise ring?” Laughed Minkyung softly.

“I love it,” said Kyungwon, unable to raise her voice above a whisper. Her eyes followed Minkyung’s hand as her girlfriend took the ring from the box, spread out her left hand, and gently slid the studded band onto her ring finger. Kyungwon thought of something when she saw an identical ring glinting on Minkyung’s finger. “What promise are you making?”

Minkyung caressed the stones before gazing directly at Kyungwon with confidence. She took a deep breath, her eyes never wavering, and said, “I promise to get you a better ring in the future. So that this one has a friend.”

Minkyung broke out in an adorable, infectious smile. Kyungwon giggled and tightened her hold on Minkyung’s hand, wiping the last few tears from her eyes with the other. It was exhilarating to feel the cool metal press against her skin. Minkyung must have been so anxious when she picked it out. But Kyungwon didn’t care that they had been dating for only a month. She had been in love with Minkyung for four and a half years now, and she was absolutely sure she had a whole lifetime to love her girlfriend more.

“I can’t be this emotional already. I haven’t given you your present,” whined Kyungwon cutely, trying to pull herself back together. “But first.”

Kyungwon scooted back against the headboard. Minkyung laughed as Kyungwon patted the space in front of her. Minkyung happily settled between Kyungwon’s legs and pulled a blanket over them both. This was easily her favorite position to sit in. Kyungwon reached over the edge of the bed and rested the large, flat gift on their legs before settling her hands comfortably across Minkyung’s stomach.

Minkyung leaned back to rest against Kyungwon’s body, reveling in their shared warmth. She tore the paper off and let it drift to the floor. Minkyung ran her ringed hand over the surface. The shining diamonds contrasted with the black leather cover of the sketchbook. Kyungwon took a peek at the book and rested her chin on Minkyung’s shoulder, hugging her tighter.

Minkyung flipped open the cover and gasped. She had never seen Kyungwon sketch live subjects. She knew Kyungwon was an excellent artist, but this was surreal. The first page showed Minkyung’s profile, perfectly shaded to reflect the angle of sunlight. She was sitting at a café table outside of an ice cream parlour across from Ollivanders, holding a cherry by the stem. How had Kyungwon memorized the day of their first accidental meeting with such clarity?

She flipped to the second page. This was a week after she enrolled at Berkshire Academy. Their teacher had run out to make copies and gave them an assignment. The rest of the class obviously didn’t follow through, but Minkyung was determined to settle into her new lifestyle. After her parents’ efforts to create legal documents for her to enroll, she didn’t want to disappoint them. They always made her feel valued. She was kin and that’s what mattered. But it always stuck in the back of her mind that she couldn’t make it as a witch. The least she could do was be a good Muggle daughter. Looking at the drawing, Minkyung remembered she had caught Kyungwon staring at her, but that was only a second before their teacher returned. The lines on the page were so defined, the shading blended so well, that Minkyung almost couldn’t tell she was looking at a black-and-white sketch. The uniform did look navy like her real one.

The third sketch was of her during a chemistry lesson. She was taking out a test tube from a boiling beaker. More importantly, she had just confessed she was a Squib. But she was smiling. Minkyung smiled too as she ran her finger over the paper. The only reason why she would ever be happy about being a Squib was because it was Kyungwon who knew. Her girlfriend, the smug, outgoing, geeky girl with beauty rivaling that of Veelas, was her strength and happiness. Minkyung never felt unwanted. Kyungwon made sure of that.

The fourth page was set at Kyungwon’s house. Minkyung recognized the shelf lined with games in the background. The sketch was so detailed, she could read every title along their spines. Again, Minkyung was the sole subject. The floor was littered with small pentagons. More spilled out of her hands. Her mouth was open as if speaking animatedly. Two shaded Chocolate Frogs squatted in the corner seemingly in deep conversation. In the opposite corner sat a lonely striped box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans. Minkyung let out an airy laugh and pointed at it.

“You cheated,” said Minkyung simply. She felt Kyungwon’s nose brush against her right ear.

“Are you accusing me? I’m the one who ate them,” said Kyungwon, trying to sound incredulous.

“Exactly,” said Minkyung softly. “I should’ve lost the bet, but you purposely didn’t buy that last Chocolate Frog with the card both of us needed to win.”

Kyungwon’s eyes widened in surprise. “You knew?”

Minkyung pecked Kyungwon’s cheek and rested her head against Kyungwon’s. “Of course I knew. You passed by it three times, paid for it in secret, then slipped it into my school bag.”

Kyungwon grinned. “That’s my nerd,” she whispered and leaned in to kiss Minkyung properly.

Sketch number five. It was the night of Minkyung’s fifteenth birthday, two years after they met and the first birthday she celebrated with Kyungwon. The previous year she had gone abroad on a family vacation. During this one, her parents had to travel for work and her sister went back to Hogwarts for an experimental summer program. She was alone and called Kyungwon, who immediately showed up at her doorstep. They spent the entire night out on the swings under the twinkling stars and bright, full moon. Kyungwon didn’t go home until the wee hours of the morning, after Minkyung had fallen asleep with a peaceful smile on her face.

Six. Minkyung posed with sunglasses and a coffee cup on a random day in autumn. Minkyung was feeling stupid, so Kyungwon said they should do something stupid. They went to the mall and bought a cheap pair of matching shades. They ordered two pumpkin spice lattes that tasted horrible, but it somehow made Minkyung feel better. Kyungwon somehow made her feel better.

Seven. Minkyung was playing with three baby corgis. She had only ever seen a Crup puppy, so Kyungwon took her to a local shelter despite her fear of all organisms under Canidae. Minkyung eventually got Kyungwon to pet the barking triplets. Kyungwon was still shaking when they left the shelter, but she was overjoyed at having touched a dog.

Eight. Kyungwon had sketched Minkyung walking between parallel rows of Cherry Blossom trees. They had just finished their biology lab in which their group was the only one to not have killed their flower while recording its growth under some variable change. Kyungwon strongly asserted that Minkyung had a green thumb, because she was sure she forgot to take care of it. Though they got top marks for the lab, Minkyung was a bit irritated that Kyungwon neglected their flower. So Kyungwon found a botanical garden with plants that weren’t sabotaged by her. Minkyung seemed to like it, and that was good enough for Kyungwon.

Nine. Minkyung was sitting on a balcony, her legs dangling over the edge, with the sunset in the background. Kyungwon had managed to shade in the sun’s fading rays to make Minkyung glow on paper. Minkyung had aced a test in their calculus class two months ago. She was the only one who did, and their smart aleck teacher didn’t feel the need to curve everyone’s grade as they all averaged a C anyway, which is a bell curve. So for once, the people who never minded Minkyung’s presence decided to pick on her at lunch. Kyungwon stepped in. They went home with matching bruises. Kyungwon led Minkyung through her house’s attic out to a roof porch in the backyard. They sat there all night, the two of them alone but feeling far from lonely.

Ten. The sketch was of her sipping hot chocolate, leaning against Kyungwon’s bed, a controller in her lap. Minkyung would never forget this day for as long as she lived. It was the day all of her worries burned up in flames. It was the day her pulse actually felt like the rhythm of life. It was the day she hoped for, prayed for, begged for during her best and worst moments. It was the day Kyungwon kissed her and told her she loved her. It was the day she became Kyungwon’s, and Kyungwon became hers.

Minkyung turned to the final page of the sketchbook. Only there wasn’t a sketch at all. There was a silver necklace threaded through two holes in the parchment, spread out as if the book was wearing it. Looped on the chain was a diamond studded infinity symbol.

Kyungwon’s hand reached up and gently pulled the necklace out of the page. Without being asked, Minkyung brushed her long, black hair over her left shoulder. Kyungwon clasped the necklace around Minkyung’s neck. She took a second to marvel at how beautiful her girlfriend looked with the moonlight filtering in through the large window, the necklace sparkling against her smooth skin. She kissed Minkyung’s collarbone and spoke into her ear.

“Stay with me?”

Minkyung felt a jolt of electricity down her spine because despite being sure of their feelings, Kyungwon’s whisper quivered with desperate hope as if terrified she would lose Minkyung at any second.

Minkyung didn’t feel like answering. She _needed_ to say something else. Just one thing. She turned her head, her nose an inch away from Kyungwon’s. She whispered her heart’s deepest desire and kissed Kyungwon with every ounce of emotion in her body.

Minkyung loved her, and that was good enough for Kyungwon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another bittersweet note from the original post on AFF:
> 
> Pristin… They used “elastin” and I have a science background so this is damn funny to me. But otherwise, the name doesn’t sound half bad. At the same time, names like Pristin from “prismatic” and “elastin” make me feel like company directors just whip out an English pocket dictionary, point at a random page and say, “Yup, that’s our group’s new name. Put it in the books. It’s genius.”


	3. Chapter 3

“How does this place sound? It’s got a decent backyard. Not a lot of traffic.”

“But that suburb is really pricy. The district’s private school is one of the best in the country.”

“Oh, right. Well how about this one? Looks really nice.”

“Yeah, it does. Roomy flat with full amenities and includes Wi-Fi. That’s important. Your tournament cut off last time. I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t sweat it. I pulled myself back up on the leaderboards. Ooh, it’s even within walking distance of the Underground. Oh, wait…”

“What’s wrong?”

“The three lower floors had a pest infestation a few months ago. We probably shouldn’t risk it.”

“Ew. What about this one? Looks like the last one sans the infestation report.”

“I’ve seen this place before. The pictures are fake. The building is practically crumbling.”

“People these days. Well, this one looks promising. Never mind. Tenants have filed multiple complaints about the taps. They run on and off. And when they do, there’s barely any hot water.”

“Christ. Adulting is hard.”

Kyungwon sighed heavily and rested her aching head on Minkyung’s lap. The older girl threaded her fingers through her girlfriend’s silky hair, feeling thoroughly frustrated herself. Minkyung glanced at the snoring clock on her wall. A large blue hand ran along the circumference and landed on Venus. A stubby red hand pointed at Mercury. The squiggly violet hand snapped towards Orion. Obviously, it was midnight on the fourteenth of June, exactly one year since she and Kyungwon had graduated from Berkshire Academy.

The throbbing in Kyungwon’s skull subsided as Minkyung continued to play with her hair. They stared at each other in comfortable silence, their heads slightly numb.

Minkyung and Kyungwon had spent the last few weekends surfing the internet for a place to call their own in the Muggle world. It was by no means a declaration to isolate themselves from the wizarding world, however.

For the past year, Minkyung willingly held two jobs. She spent half of the week working as an assistant manager at a high-end herb shop in downtown London. The rest of the week, she traveled to Diagon Alley and worked at Slug & Jiggers Apothecary prepping ingredients for preservation and sale. She even met Professor Slughorn over the summer and had a nice long chat about Yewon, his prized N.E.W.T. pupil, over a box of crystallized pineapple.

Kyungwon wanted to get serious and applied for various “realistic” jobs to save money for her and Minkyung’s future. She wasn’t the greatest student, but her transcript was above average thanks to her girlfriend. Despite Kyungwon receiving a decent number of calls for interviews, Minkyung had strongly disapproved of this. One of the reasons she fell in love with Kyungwon was because she never let anyone dictate her passions and desires in life. As soon as Minkyung saw the tabs on Kyungwon’s laptop about job postings at office firms, she knew Kyungwon would hate the nine-to-five routines.

So with Minkyung’s support, Kyungwon dabbled in selling her artwork in the city. Surprisingly, she had a fair amount of customers daily. Her conversational skills were a huge asset. People would peruse her collection over the course of a few days before finally settling on a piece. Kyungwon earned enough to rent a proper stall. There was one incident in which Minkyung tagged along and concluded Kyungwon’s beauty might’ve had a tad influence on her success.

“I’m pretty sure those boys stole cash from their parents and bought anything you had on the table just to talk to you,” Minkyung had said, referring to the group of teenagers who were punching each other and glancing back at them.

Kyungwon grinned at her girlfriend. “You wouldn’t happen to be jealous, would you?”

“No,” replied Minkyung slyly. She knew full well she had Kyungwon’s devotion. That was made terribly obvious by Kyungwon’s wandering eyes. Minkyung may or may not have purposely worn black jean shorts that day to highlight her milky white legs that went on for miles.

“Good, because I don’t have eyes for pubescent boys. Only goddesses named Minkyung,” said Kyungwon distractedly. She had somehow ended up right next to Minkyung when she had been fixing her display across the table five seconds ago.

Awkwardly enough, a woman had walked up to Kyungwon’s collection a minute later. The metal employee name tag pinned to her shirt read _Minkyung_.

Kyungwon also experimented with magical doodles; Nayoung resupplied her with ink as part of birthday or Christmas packages. Kyungwon strolled into Diagon Alley and before she had even chosen a spot to sit, a witch stopped her to look at the canvas underneath her arm. Five minutes later, Kyungwon’s pocket was three Galleons fuller.

Minkyung and Kyungwon were doing so well, they opened up a vault at Gringotts since they were constantly in and out exchanging Muggle and wizarding money. When they had enough saved up, they decided to look for a place together. Their parents assured them time and again that they could live at home until they had a clear direction of what they wanted to do. While their families were quite well off, Minkyung and Kyungwon felt the need to prove they could carry their own. Their parents backed off but remained nothing less than supportive.

“I just can’t anymore,” yawned Kyungwon, cuddling up to her girlfriend’s stomach. Minkyung giggled tiredly and wrapped her covers around them both.

~|~|~|~

“What are you craving?”

“Maybe mocha or chocolate chip. Vanilla bean looks good too.”

“Oh my God. Minkyung. _Minkyung_. Minkyung!” Kyungwon pawed at her girlfriend’s arm.

“Stop hyperventilating and speak properly,” laughed Minkyung.

“There’s an Iron Man themed frappé!” Kyungwon squealed.

“Red velvet flavored, topped with caramel drizzle and an Iron Man chocolate square. Available for a limited time,” Minkyung read off the promotional banner. But before she could agree, Kyungwon had ordered two of them and was waiting at the pick-up counter with a sheepish grin.

“Glad you two are still going strong.”

“Merlin! Where did you come from?!” Hissed Minkyung, holding her hand over her heart.

“My name’s Nayoung,” the witch smirked when Minkyung had turned around. “Medium hot coffee, cream and sugar,” she ordered. She paid the cashier and nudged Minkyung along.

“Hey! It’s been a while. How’s training?” Chirped Kyungwon.

“It’s vigorous work but I’m doing fine. The senior members look more and more like starving Chimaeras every time someone screws up,” sighed Nayoung. She thanked the barista and the three sat down at a vacant table.

“Are you off today?” Asked Minkyung. She hadn’t spoken to her friend since February and was slightly dreading the minute Nayoung would have to run off to the Ministry again.

Nayoung gave a derisive snort and spoke in a low voice. “There’s no such thing as a day off when Kahi Park is your Auror mentor. I’ve only just returned from a month-long boot camp in the Alps. No wands permitted. She gave us the day to regrow our bones.”

Kyungwon choked on her frappé. “Excuse me? Did you say _regrow_? What exactly were you doing in the mountains?”

“I don’t want to say, mainly because my sore muscles are acting up at the mere memory of it.” Nayoung rolled her shoulders and cricked her neck with a grimace. “I got out fine. Chungha on the other hand… Well, she’s a trooper. Laughed her way to St. Mungo’s on a stretcher as soon as we arrived. Although she could’ve just been in shock,” she mumbled thoughtfully.

“Since you’re in one piece, maybe you could stop by my house? Yewon and Yebin would love to see you again. Unless you need to rest, of course,” suggested Minkyung hopefully.

“Actually, I spoke to them this morning. Thought I should congratulate them on completing their magical education. We talked about their career options. I made a proposal and they told me where to find you,” said Nayoung.

Minkyung and Kyungwon raised their eyebrows. “Why us? Did they want our approval?” Kyungwon almost laughed at the idea of Yebin wanting her opinion on anything.

Nayoung leaned forward. “My proposal actually extends to all four of you. Yewon and Yebin have agreed to their half of the deal without hesitation. I said they should think about it a bit more seriously but they were enthusiastic enough to ask for a contract. So now I just need to clue you two in.”

“Should we be afraid?” Minkyung asked, shooting Nayoung a suspicious look.

Nayoung continued without answering. “They told me you two are looking for a place to settle down. And though you’re quite successful as is, I thought you’d like a bit more stability than being a dual-world florist and a freelance artist.”

Minkyung and Kyungwon nodded slowly with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.

“Here’s my proposal. I want you all to come live and work with me.”

Minkyung waited for Nayoung to explain. The witch stared back at the couple, casually sipping her coffee and trying to hide the pain of lifting her arm.

“I need the fine print,” said Kyungwon bluntly, though her eager eyes betrayed her voice.

Nayoung clasped her hands on the table in a businesslike manner. “During the boot camp, we spent a week training with German Aurors. We made an exchange of recruits. As it turns out, the one from our side was my flatmate. Now that she’s no longer in Britain, I don’t want to rent the place alone. I was hoping to move into a permanent residence somewhere else in London.”

“I see,” said Kyungwon, stroking her imaginary beard. Though in reality, she understood nothing.

“My superior told me I was progressing incredibly well and that I might be given a standalone position, as soon as a month after I complete training next year. She said I’m nearly up to scratch with any other Auror at the Office. So in anticipation of that, I want to form my own home base and crew. And it just so happens my plan aligns perfectly with what you four need.”

“We’re definitely searching for a place and it sounds great to move in with you. But I don’t see how we,” Minkyung waved her finger between herself and Kyungwon, “can help you out with work.” Kyungwon murmured her agreement.

To the couple’s surprise, Nayoung smiled as if they had reached the best part of her proposal. “Yewon and Yebin are fresh out of school and need a job. I’d like to offer all four of you not only a place to live, but steady work.” Nayoung dropped her voice to a whisper. “My job description includes being adept in several areas of magic, but it’s useless if I’m unconscious or disarmed. Yewon’s brilliance in Potions and your extensive knowledge in Herbology, not to mention you grow your own high quality ingredients, would really help me out,” she said to Minkyung.

“That makes sense. You’d need a constant stock of antidotes and poisons,” nodded Kyungwon. “But what can Yebin and I do for you? She’s great at Charms and even made it to upper level Transfiguration. But I thought you’d need to perform most of that stuff on your own.”

Nayoung’s smile only grew wider. “You’ve got the skills of a clothing designer.”

Kyungwon was caught off-guard by the random compliment. She did make a few sketches for a project Yebin had, but a career in fashion never crossed her mind. And what did this have to do with Nayoung catching dark wizards for a living?

“That boot camp proved that mankind is deadly, with or without wands. But rather than reinforce my dependence on magic, I realized I could use this to my advantage.”

“So you want us to make you clothes?” Kyungwon deadpanned, unintentionally sounding rude.

“I want you to provide weapons and armor,” Nayoung clarified calmly.

Kyungwon was speechless. Even Minkyung blurted out an incredulous “What?”

Nayoung concluded a few extra details needed to be hammered out. She turned to Kyungwon. “Do you know what Yebin created from your sketches?”

“Some sort of costume,” said Kyungwon slowly. “It wasn’t a costume, was it?”

Nayoung shook her head. “She lost a huge bet with a housemate and as payment, the student requested dueling robes. She made it into a personal project. She crafted a leather suit from your drafts, complete with a few enchantments. Her last product was a titanium chest plate. She charmed it to be nearly weightless. It fits naturally under robes, perhaps Muggle clothing too, and deflects a good amount of hexes before denting. It was fantastic to have for boot camp.”

“I never knew that,” muttered Kyungwon softly. She felt Minkyung interlock their fingers but continued to stare blankly at the puddle of condensation under her drink. Why hadn’t Yebin told her? She would’ve been so proud. She _is_ proud. Her sister was coming into her own as an accomplished witch. Kyungwon was happy that Yebin found her calling.

As if reading Kyungwon’s mind, Nayoung said, “She didn’t want to tell you until she was absolutely satisfied. She always found a flaw in her products. If the first piece she showed you was going to define your perception of her as a witch, she wanted it to be perfect.”

There was a dull weight in Kyungwon’s gut. How much of an ignorant sister had she been for Yebin to put so much pressure on herself?

“Yebin looks up to you,” said Minkyung soothingly. “She knows you care about her and everything she does, and vice versa, even if you two don’t say it.”

“If it makes a difference, she didn’t tell me any of this outright. I kind of weaseled it out of her when I caught her smuggling in materials during a visit to the school. She’s still intimidated by me even though I left two years ago,” added Nayoung in a light tone.

After a moment of silence, Kyungwon spoke, her hoarse voice surprising the other two. “That’s my gremlin,” she croaked. Minkyung sighed in relief and pulled Kyungwon into a side-hug.

Nayoung let out a short laugh and leaned forward. “So, about my proposal. What do you say?”

~|~|~|~

“Minkyung.”

_This bed is so warm._

“Minkyung?”

_And soft._

“Wakey-wakey…”

_Whose lovely voice is serenading me on this fine morning?_

“Minkyung…”

_And why does it suddenly sound so seductive?_

Minkyung didn’t even have a second to collect her thoughts before they were wiped clean from her mind. After what seemed like a decade of pent-up passion condensed into one very intense kiss, Kyungwon pulled away with a satisfied smirk. Except the first thing that graced Minkyung’s sight was not her girlfriend’s alluring gaze nor playful grin from above.

“One of these days, will you put on a damn shirt?!”

Minkyung frantically rolled over, forming a makeshift den out of the covers to shield her eyes from Kyungwon’s cleavage. And here she thought she had gotten used to Kyungwon’s choice of sleepwear—_very _short shorts and a low-cut fitted tank top. Alright, perhaps trapping herself in a duvet was a bad idea. Her entire body flushed enough to turn the bed into a sauna. Feeling extremely breathless, Minkyung threw off the blankets and glanced over her shoulder. Of course Kyungwon was now lying on the bed next to her, posing like a lingerie model. Her hair glowed in the soft sunlight. Her long legs looked just as golden.

“You don’t sound like you want me to,” said Kyungwon in a low, husky voice.

Minkyung groaned and rolled back over to hug the nice, plain, white wall. Kyungwon’s lip bite was the last thing she needed to see. ’Twas wishful thinking to hope for a calm morning.

“Are you going to do this every day now that we have our own room?” Minkyung sighed.

“Don’t act like you don’t want it,” giggled Kyungwon as she cuddled up to Minkyung’s back.

_I want it too much_, thought Minkyung bitterly. She was trying so hard to control herself and Kyungwon being Kyungwon didn’t help one bit.

“Are you really not going to get up?” Minkyung could hear the fake pout in Kyungwon’s voice and was determined not to fall for it. “I guess I’ll wake up Nayoung then.”

“Put on a shirt,” Minkyung deadpanned, her voice slightly muffled by her pillow.

“Nah, I don’t think I will.” Kyungwon had somehow verbally conveyed her smirk.

Now, Minkyung was not one to get jealous. That was Kyungwon’s job. But she was possessive over her girlfriend’s figure. Kyungwon’s body was for her eyes only despite consistently blushing at the glorious sight of it. So with great difficulty, Minkyung rolled out of bed, threw an oversized hoodie and a pair of sweatpants at Kyungwon’s cackling face, and went to wake up the others.

Sensing human presence, the handleless door swung open. Minkyung admired the intricate designs she and Kyungwon had engraved into the central rosewood panel. She also appreciated Yebin’s tools, which were enchanted to imbue a sort of signature during use. It meant they could walk freely into, out of, and throughout the house without the use of a wand.

“Nayoung?” Minkyung called and knocked on the door opposite her and Kyungwon’s room.

She heard a muffled “Hmm?” accompanied by the ruffle of blankets and soft footsteps. A second later, the door swung open.

“Morning sunshine! You’re due at the Ministry in two hours,” said Minkyung, stifling her laugh.

Nayoung didn’t even have her eyes open and was leaning dangerously against the doorframe. Her adorably round head lobbed to the side, hitting the wood with a dull thud.

“Ow…” Whined Nayoung, rubbing the sore spot. “What time is it?” She slurred.

Minkyung glanced at her wrist lacking any accessories. “It’s five thirty. Want breakfast?”

Nayoung gave another mindless hum before padding back into her room and face-planting onto her bed. Minkyung left her alone. She knew the thought of showing up late to Auror Kahi’s training session was enough to scare Nayoung into a habit of punctuality. Minkyung entertained the idea that Kyungwon could’ve used a Kahi during their school days.

“Yebin-man!” Hollered Kyungwon as she ran down the corridor to the room by the stairs.

Minkyung winced, knowing Yebin was not a morning person. Neither was Kyungwon unless she wanted to annoy her sister. _Or run up my blood pressure_, thought Minkyung.

“Hey-oh… Uh, I’ll just show myself out.”

Minkyung crossed her arms and waited to hear what Kyungwon had done wrong. Her girlfriend backed out of the room with a sheepish grin and scurried over to her in front of Nayoung’s door. In Minkyung’s opinion, tall people did not look graceful whilst scurrying in sweats.

Kyungwon tried to contain her giggles. “It seems that, um, Yewon woke Yebin up. Aha!”

“And?”

“Ahem. Nothing. Bye.”

Kyungwon dashed back into their bedroom to wash up. What in the world did Kyungwon see to make her so giddy? Minkyung’s attention was drawn to two heads popping out of a doorway.

“You kids alright?” She asked suspiciously.

“Swell,” said Yebin flatly, her expression unamused.

“We’re fine,” said Yewon, cheerful as one could be at the crack of dawn. She pulled Yebin back into the room and the door shut behind them.

Two hours later, Nayoung left for training while the rest of the girls busied themselves with housework. Yebin was diligently setting up her workshop in one of the back rooms on the first floor. Across the hall, Yewon split a giant room into a small living room and a Potions station. One corner was fixed with glass cabinets full of instruments, storage cupboards along the back counter, a large industrial sink, and a clean marble island for brewing and prepping ingredients. The adjacent corner was completely overgrown by giant leaves and singing flowers. There was a door that led to a vast greenhouse full of magical plants, well-hidden by a curtain of vines.

“How much do you think Nayoung pays in property taxes? Shouldn’t we help out?”

“Minkyung, this mansion is technically on like twenty square feet of Muggle land. But if you insist, we can write her a check. I don’t think she’ll take it though. I tried paying her back for a meal and found a pouch on my stall table with twice as much money and a pebble on top.”

Kyungwon still found the entire situation bizarre. After Minkyung and she had agreed to Nayoung’s proposal, the witch brought them before two decrepit buildings with soot lining the boarded up windows. As if this wasn’t mind-boggling enough, Nayoung corrected them and pointed at the rusty gate guarding the _gap_ between the buildings. Minkyung wanted to slap her friend over the head. Kyungwon was curious to see just how far Nayoung would go.

Nayoung had calmly requested for the couple to link arms with her. Glancing up and down the empty street, she pulled out her wand, waved it slowly across the gate, and walked forward. Minkyung followed with confident footsteps though her expression was wary. Kyungwon, on the other hand, was wondering why they weren’t stopping in front of the very solid-looking barrier. Expecting to jam her knee between the bars, Kyungwon was surprised to find herself standing before a vast cement lot with a lush lawn. And so began their house-building project.

Minkyung and Kyungwon were now in the process of transferring Minkyung’s greenhouse to their newly completed home. Most of the plants had settled in nicely. Some of the Fanged Geraniums were a bit grumpy and tried to bite Kyungwon’s fingers off. They never liked her much. She supposed it was because she accidentally sprayed them with saline instead of sugar water. Minkyung had to calm them down. When moving time came around, she took on the job of coaxing them into pots and assigned Kyungwon to Puffapod duty instead.

“Where should I put this?” Huffed Kyungwon.

“Where the door and back counter meet,” said Minkyung.

Kyungwon plopped the Tundra Trunk onto a small box of bedrock and dusted some soil around it. Right on cue, a herd of Leaping Toadstools hopped at Kyungwon’s feet before jumping into the box and nudging their stems into the dirt. Minkyung placed its brother, the Scorching Stump, at the other end of the miniature forest. This stump had fiery veins that seemed to pulse with lava. At sunrise, noon, and sunset, the Tundra Trunk would let out its sapphire icy flame and crystallize the nearby plants. The Scorching Stump released a blood-red geyser of scalding water and bathed the surrounding vegetation in steam.

“Hey, guys. I’ve got something to show you,” said Yebin, waltzing into the room.

Yewon placed the last of her glassware into the cabinets and joined Minkyung and Kyungwon at the end of the marble island.

“I made housewarming gifts to celebrate our first day. This one’s for you.” Yebin handed Yewon a brand new cauldron.

“I thought you were repairing the pewter one,” said Yewon in pleasant surprise.

“This would suit your abilities better. It’s twice as durable as Potage’s best copper cauldron, it’s lightweight, and won’t corrode from the exotic ingredients you’ll have to use to brew potions for Nayoung,” said Yebin proudly.

“You’re so thoughtful! And brilliant to have made this. It’s perfect. Thank you, Yebin!” Said Yewon in complete awe, smiling until her cheeks rounded up and her eyes disappeared into crescents.

She hugged Yebin tightly around the waist. Yebin had gone into a sort of a trance, a goofy smile plastered on her face, until an obnoxious cough slapped her back into reality. The short witch glared at her sister who smirked back. Minkyung slapped her girlfriend’s arm for interrupting such a cute moment. Yewon didn’t seem to have noticed and gave Yebin a peck on the cheek.

“These are for you two,” said Yebin, her tone bordering on bashful due to Yewon’s affectionate actions, joy at providing a helpful tool for Minkyung, and irritation at Kyungwon for being a butt.

Minkyung jumped at the strange sound coming from her right. It was a cross between a deep chuckle and a high-pitched giggle.

“Oh ho ho… No, you _didn’t!_ Are these Light Sabers?!” Kyungwon exclaimed excitedly. She picked up a silver handle resembling a flashlight.

Yebin gave her half a smile, relieved that she had distracted Kyungwon with something shiny. “Since you two can’t perform Severing Charms, I thought these would come in handy. The design was my touch of custom flare. Hey! Put me down!”

Kyungwon had scooped up her bite-sized sister and spun in a circle before planting Yebin unsteadily on the ground.

“I’m guessing this has some cultural significance other than being a sword that emits photons,” laughed Minkyung, examining her own gadget.

“Oh my God, we haven’t even watched Star Wars yet. I have failed you as your girlfriend! Put it on the list!” With a loud whoop, Kyungwon ran into the greenhouse.

Past the vines and through the open doorway, Minkyung, Yewon, and Yebin watched as Kyungwon fidgeted with the device. A bright blue beam of light shot out from the silver hilt. She stared back at the trio with her jaw wide open. After a moment of spazzing, she skipped over to a row of Venomous Tentaculas.

“Psh, what an idiot. Star Trek beats Star Wars hands down,” scoffed Yebin.

Despite her tone, Minkyung spotted the satisfied grin spreading across the little Kang’s face as her sister sliced off leaves with dramatic pivots. Minkyung faced the door and smiled softly at the sight. Kyungwon was totally a dork. A geeky dork. _Her_ geeky dork.

Minkyung’s eyes widened in horror. “K-Kyungwon! Wait! Those aren’t mature yet!” She darted into the greenhouse and forcefully dragged her girlfriend away from the young potted Mandrakes, which began wailing and tossing up their soil. Their leaves would live another day.

~|~|~|~

“Help me organize my thoughts?”

Kyungwon nodded and pulled up a chair. “Shoot.”

“Something portable, heavy on the offense, fits in a belt sheath. How does a short sword with runic inscriptions sound?” Asked Yebin, drawing rough sketches on an enormous chalkboard.

Kyungwon tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment, then rose from her seat and picked up a piece of chalk. “Runes magically reinforce the weapon, right? I think you should decrease the size to about the length of a dagger. It’s easily maneuverable and allows for greater agility. Since it’s smaller, you can attach sheath slots onto a chest plate. Somewhere on the back or even the shoulder.” Kyungwon hastily drew new diagrams underneath Yebin’s with greater finesse and detail. She shaded in the sharp edge of the hypothetical blade by habit. “That frees up space for weapons or pouches that must be placed on a belt.”

“Strength is my main concern. It has to be durable and powerful,” said Yebin skeptically.

“What about changing the rune combinations? Engrave bigger characters?” Asked Kyungwon.

“The order of the runes is indisputable. That determines what effect the weapon has. But I suppose we can make them larger,” agreed Yebin.

“If you’re worried about density, you could always start with a thicker blade and sharpen both sides. Engrave the runes in the center,” suggested Kyungwon.

Yebin snapped her fingers. “Right. If I can engrave the runes deeper, that subtle difference will increase their effect. And if the blade is thicker to begin with, it’s not likely to shatter on impact.”

Kyungwon grinned and patted her sister on the back. “I’ll draft up some designs.”

“Awesome sauce,” sang Yebin. “I’ll start on the blade and hilt bases. Could you also format the sheaths on an armor template?” Yebin did a small fist pump at Kyungwon’s hum of assent.

“Oh, my babies,” sniffed Minkyung proudly, wiping away a fake tear.

“They’re really charismatic when they’re focused,” commented Yewon.

“They’re adorable when they’re not bickering,” added Minkyung.

“We can hear you!” Chorused the Kang sisters without looking up from their work. They had difficulty keeping the corners of their lips from tugging upwards.

“Love you both!” Minkyung called back from the doorway.

“Same! I m-mean, keep up the good work!” Yewon coughed and quickly retreated to the lab.

Minkyung shot her a look of curious amusement. “Did my little Yewonie just stutter?”

Yewon ignored Minkyung’s teasing tone and stared determinedly at her cauldron. She squeezed a fat maroon bean, releasing its juices into the brew.

“Your hand is shaking,” said Minkyung from behind, eyeing the few droplets on the counter.

“N-no it’s not!” Yewon closed her eyes and bit her lip in frustration, having given herself away.

Minkyung took a mortar and pestle out from the cupboard. She dropped in five sizzling red peppercorns and began grinding them into a fine powder. Bending her knees to match Yewon’s height, she whispered, “Yebin looks pretty cool crafting weapons, doesn’t she?”

“W-what?” Yewon yelped and knocked over a bottle of armadillo bile. “Scourgify,” she mumbled. The thick, yellowish spill vanished. With a jab over her shoulder, she summoned a new bottle.

“Headstrong, skilled, extremely caring while making it seem like no big deal. Sounds like girlfriend material to me,” continued Minkyung.

“I-I don’t know w-what you’re t-talking about,” muttered Yewon timidly, adding three spoonfuls of bile into the cauldron.

Minkyung sprinkled in some of her ground peppercorns. The powder crackled feebly. “What are you making again?” She asked abruptly.

“Stinging gas. Once this solution has cooled, I can bottle it up with a solute. If Nayoung throws a vial at the ground, the potion and solute will react spontaneously given sufficient oxygen. It should evaporate immediately and fill an entire room with gas that stings your eyes and lungs—”

Yewon’s eyes widened as she realized Minkyung clearly knew what she was making. Her sister had finished adding the ground peppercorns and moved onto prepping a round purple fruit. Sliced Shrivelfigs was an ingredient Yewon needed to add five steps later. The young witch pouted and ruffled her hair.

“Where, oh where, has Yewon’s stutter gone?” Sang Minkyung.

“Minkyung!” Yewon whined and shook her sister’s arm, resulting in a trapezoidal Shrivelfig slice.

“You don’t seem to mind hugging Yebin in front of us, or kissing her on the cheek.”

“Because I only think of her when I do that.” Yewon slapped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to keep anything else from tumbling out. Feeling more frustrated than ever, she just hugged Minkyung and whined into her sister’s shoulder.

Minkyung grinned at having struck gold. She rubbed Yewon’s back and rocked them back and forth. “So when’s your first date?” She teased.

“Nmbrr,” said Yewon, her voice muffled by Minkyung’s sweater.

“What was that?” Minkyung leaned back to hear Yewon properly.

“Never. I don’t know.” Yewon heaved a deep sigh. “I can’t tell if she even knows I like her.”

Minkyung physically recoiled with an incredulous expression on her face. “You’re joking, right?”

Yewon gave her an exasperated look. “You’d think it would be obvious. But Yebin also isn’t the type to wear her heart on her sleeve. She’s always got that laid back vibe, that life is going exactly as planned even if it isn’t. It’s harder to tell what she’s thinking now.”

“But she likes you! Everyone knows that. Look at how much she dotes on you. She gets all shy around you, more than you used to be as a kid,” said Minkyung, trying to keep her voice from carrying across the hall. Luckily, the cauldron was now at a rumbling boil.

“Does she though?” Asked Yewon, her voice laced with desperation. “Kyungwon treated you well. It was so obvious to everyone else that she liked you, but you didn’t think so. What if things don’t turn out that way for me? What if Yebin’s just being a really good friend? What if being that close actually makes her uncomfortable, but she just accepts it to avoid sounding mean?”

Minkyung watched as Yewon stirred two long porcupine quills into the cauldron. They softened and sunk along the sides like spaghetti in a pot of water. Yewon pouted at the spines, prodding them so they would submerge faster. Minkyung couldn’t help but think Yewon’s cheeks were absolutely squish-worthy. She clasped her hands behind her back as it would be inappropriate to coddle Yewon when the girl was feeling so conflicted.

“Well,” said Minkyung softly, “I know it hurts to imagine Yebin doesn’t feel the same, but I really think she does. There are subtle differences when she’s with you than when she talks to me, Kyungwon, or Nayoung. It’s worth it to ask. You might regret it if you don’t.”

“You can only say that because you and Kyungwon are together now,” said Yewon slowly.

“Maybe. But you know, even though it worked out, I regret not saying it earlier. Imagine how frustrated we both must have been holding our feelings in.”

“But…” Yewon’s mouth opened and closed helplessly. Nothing came out.

Minkyung smiled patiently. “Go for it. Be bold,” she said with a small shrug.

Yewon felt a nostalgic boost of strength that always accompanied Minkyung’s simple words. “I’ll think about it,” she said quietly.

She added two bulbs of Pungous Onions into the cauldron with her wand. Odorous steam billowed from the bubbling liquid, making her eyes water and itch. She stepped back and fanned away the fumes. Searching through the fog, she saw Minkyung in her leafy corner.

“I’ll gather some Bloodroot,” coughed Minkyung, making up an excuse.

“The potion doesn’t contain that,” wheezed Yewon. But her sister had already disappeared.

Minkyung walked deep into her sanctuary of purified air. “Yewon doesn’t need Bloodroot, but she does need some Baneberries for poison,” she muttered to herself. She strode towards the single bush growing in the back when she froze halfway down the aisle. “Kyungwon!”

Yebin lifted her foot off the pedal of her grinding stone, the sparks from the blade in her hand fading as they fell. “Did you hear something?”

Kyungwon took out her earplugs and looked up from her sketchpad. “No?”

Yewon rushed into the room holding a ladle. “Kyungwon, I think you’re in trouble…”

“I didn’t do anything,” assured Kyungwon. She stood up and led the other two back into the lab. At the sound of her name, she turned to the open greenhouse door. She immediately shrunk back under Minkyung’s scornful glare.

Minkyung crossed her arms and spoke in a controlled voice. “Explain.”

Kyungwon tentatively glanced further in and cringed. Two full-grown Venomous Tentaculas were whipping their thorny vines at each other in a fierce battle. One of them had several chopped off, littering the soil with chunks of green. The other raised one thick vine into the air and slashed downwards with Kyungwon’s blue Severing Charm Light Saber.

Kyungwon grinned sheepishly. “Ah, yes, that. Well you see, I—” She turned tail and dashed out of the room screaming, “Love you, Mingrringrring!”

~|~|~|~

Yewon meticulously carved off a ribbon of excess dough and added it to a floured bowl. Dusting off her hands, she checked the pots of simmering fruit reductions on the stove. Yewon plucked a spoon out of the air and tasted a diced strawberry. Satisfied with the sweetness, she turned off the stove and the other spoons stopped stirring, becoming lifeless and ordinary.

“The chocolate chip muffins are done,” said Minkyung, pulling two pans out of the oven. She placed them on the kitchen table to cool. Eyeing the bowl of discarded pie crust trimmings, she patted them into a ball and began rolling out a new sheet of dough.

“I wish we had ice cream to eat with them,” said Yewon. She flicked her wand at the three pots. They portioned out strawberry, peach, and lingonberry jam into three trays of raw dough cups.

“I’ll get some after we’re done. Here’s the extras,” said Minkyung cheerfully. She pushed over a fourth pan with perfectly molded miniature cups which the pots filled with leftover jam.

Yewon and Minkyung each grabbed two trays and slid them onto the oven racks. A timer shaped like a coffee cup awoke. It waddled to the edge of the counter, opened its lid like a mouth, and majestically shouted, “Thirty minutes for tarts!” like a town herald. Minkyung pulled out a chair by the kitchen table. Yewon bewitched a beater to whip cream and sugar in a bowl.

Yewon stood with her back leaning against the counter. “So for my next potion, I was thinking—”

At that moment, Kyungwon stormed into the kitchen, disregarded the three empty chairs by the table, and promptly sat on Minkyung’s lap. Minkyung quickly wrapped her arms around Kyungwon’s waist to keep her from falling.

“Is everything alright?” Said Minkyung warily. She was baffled by her girlfriend’s odd behavior and lightly kissed Kyungwon’s shoulder in the hopes of making her feel better.

Kyungwon channeled her inner Nayoung. “She won’t let me into the workshop until her project is finished.” Her face and voice were void of emotion.

“You mean Yebin?” Asked Yewon, sharing a look with Minkyung.

Kyungwon nodded wordlessly.

“Did you fight?” Added Minkyung.

Kyungwon shook her head.

Minkyung studied Kyungwon’s profile and poked her cheek. “Are you sulking?”

Kyungwon immediately pouted and burst into a speech. “She won’t tell me anything! She just said, ‘Have a good vacation!’ and kicked me out! I was in the middle of drawing her some lance thingy when she had an epiphany. Rude. It’s a rude epiphany! And what nonsense, a vacation. We live here, we work here. Does she want to ship me off to South Korea or something?”

Minkyung bit back a laugh. “Didn’t you want to see some Bye & Hi concert over there?”

“_Yes_, but that’s not the point!” Kyungwon whined. She cradled Minkyung’s head like it was a stuffed animal that would solve all of her petty problems. Yebin Kang was a jerk. A jerk who should’ve sent Kyungwon to South Korea if she was barred from the workshop anyway.

Minkyung felt her cheeks getting sore from smiling at her cute, sulking girlfriend. Feeling a bit guilty for enjoying this, she invited Kyungwon on her ice cream run while Yewon watched over the treats baking in the oven. By the time they returned, Yewon had just finished adding dollops of whipped cream onto the tarts. She turned to greet them and almost burst out laughing. Kyungwon looked much happier licking a rainbow spiral lollipop. Patting Kyungwon’s head on the way in, Minkyung winked at Yewon and set the tub on the counter.

She prepared a plate with three tarts, a muffin, and a scoop of ice cream for her and Kyungwon to share, seeing as how her girlfriend would not relinquish her lollipop. Yewon made a second plate and delivered it to Yebin.

Kyungwon took her place on Minkyung’s lap. “If Yebin let’s her in, I swear—”

“Shh. Eat,” said Minkyung fondly, stuffing a peach tart into Kyungwon’s mouth.

The sound of a door creaking open and shutting firmly reverberated down the hallway. Kyungwon’s shoulders visibly slumped.

“Come on, it’s Yewon. She’s the only person that can make Yebin do anything.”

Suddenly, Kyungwon gave a little hop. Her smile returned full force. She resembled a feasting hamster with her bulging cheeks. “Are they dating?” She asked bluntly.

Minkyung shrugged and took a bite out of the muffin. “I don’t think so, not yet at least.”

“Well damn, Yebin should get a move on. Yewon ain’t gonna wait around forever.”

“Let’s be honest. She would and she will.”

“… Yeah, she will,” agreed Kyungwon. “The poor angel.”

Ten minutes later, said angel strolled into the kitchen with an empty plate and a mysterious grin on her face. She made the mistake of glancing at the taller girls. A soft “hehe” escaped her lips.

“What happened back there?” Minkyung said slowly.

“All I’m going to say is, you’ll like what she’s making. It’s worth kicking Kyungwon out for.”

“That’s very unlikely as my peeved-off-ness is still quite high. It’s only abated by Minkyung’s heavenly presence,” said Kyungwon loftily, again cradling Minkyung’s head.

For a whole week, Kyungwon was “unemployed.” Bored out of her mind but also eager to spend time with her beloved, she assisted Minkyung with greenhouse-keeping duties. She begged Yewon not to use magic so she could mop the floor herself, twice. She helped harvest pearly-white Sopophorous beans—according to the resident herbologist, it was a fantastic yield.

They were currently pruning the large Umbrella Flowers hanging from the ceiling. Unfortunately, the relaxing effect of their aromatics was overshadowed by the entrance of a rambunctious horde of Bouncing Bulbs. Kyungwon had unintentionally threatened them by placing her ladder too close to their garden. They were large enough to knock the ladder over, tipping Kyungwon off balance. She was saved from the twenty-foot drop by Yebin’s spell that slowed her descent.

“And this is why I was holed up in my workshop,” sighed Yebin as Kyungwon drifted to the floor.

“You kicked me out so I could be bullied by aggressive eggplants? Ow!” One last Bouncing Bulb stomped on Kyungwon’s toes for good measure before returning to its patch.

Yebin steadied Kyungwon, who was hopping around holding her throbbing foot. Minkyung helped carry Kyungwon out to the couch in Yewon’s lab.

“Would you like a drink?” Yewon offered kindly. She held out a potion for pain relief.

Kyungwon accepted the vial immediately. “Thanks.”

“Miss,” Yebin bowed deeply to Minkyung, “and Village Idiot,” she snickered at Kyungwon. “If you will follow me, I shall present what I so desperately strived to complete— I see you making faces Kyungwon, don’t make me regret this. Ahem. Think of it as a birthday gift.”

“My birthday was four months ago,” said Kyungwon.

“And mine isn’t for another four,” giggled Minkyung.

“Merry Christmas, then.”

“It’s not even winter,” smiled Yewon.

“Happy…” Yebin squinted at the calendar on the far wall. “April twenty-first,” she shrugged.

They all laughed. Minkyung pulled Kyungwon across the hall with Yewon whispering excitedly to Yebin behind them. Everyone stopped in the middle of the workshop. Yebin walked forward to a large glass case veiled by a thick cloth. With everyone’s attention on her, she grandly pulled the cloth off and revealed two imperial suits of silvery blue scaled armor.

A smile spread slowly across Yebin’s face. She allowed herself a moment to enjoy Minkyung’s and Kyungwon’s expressions of utter amazement. “Swedish Short-Snout dragon hide.”

Kyungwon snapped out of her daze and circled around the case, whistling lowly. Minkyung’s eyes darted to every inch of the suits.

The chest plates glowed brilliantly in the afternoon sunlight from the windows. The gloves were thin, the palms embroidered with striking red lines. The vambraces were sturdy with flexible elbow joints. They would fit longer arms well. The long chausses were slim, perfect for a tall individual. The steel-toed boots were stark black. They were the only piece not made from dragon hide but still looked imposing. They were similar to what Nayoung wore.

Yebin walked up to the case and opened the door. She took out one of the gloves. “A single snap will ignite the fingertips to shoot thin streams of fire wherever aimed.”

“This is incredible,” breathed Kyungwon, quite forgetting to be snarky.

“So you like it?” Asked Yebin, glancing nervously but excitedly between the two older girls.

Minkyung stared at Yebin in disbelief. “But Yebin, we don’t fight. We can’t even use magic.”

“That’s precisely why I made them. You’re raising sprouts that fight _back_,” smiled Yebin. “You have Diffindo swords. Now you have Incendio gloves and some extra protection on your backs. I’ve seen your bruises, scars, and rashes. Hopefully you’ll have less in the future.”

At some point, Minkyung had gravitated towards Yewon and hugged her from behind. She felt restless. She needed to do something with her hands. Her sister happened to be nearest. Her heart was full of gratitude towards their little weapons specialist. She glanced down at Yewon who was wearing an expression of equal pride and appreciation.

Out of the corner of her eye, Minkyung spotted Kyungwon through the glass. She was standing very still with her fingertips covering her mouth. Her eyes seemed unfocused while staring at some point between Yebin on the other side of the case and the armor between them. There was a glossy sheen forming above her eyelashes. Minkyung saw Yebin shift in her spot, knowing she felt awkward at Kyungwon’s sudden display of emotion. Yebin cleared her throat.

“As hilarious as it was watching you wrestle your own Light Saber away from the Venomous Tentacula, my heart felt a minuscule twinge at the thought of you getting beaten up by a plant. On second thought, it was more out of second-hand embarrassment. Get a grip.”

Minkyung smiled at her last words. Yebin’s quip had started out strong, but her voice cracked when Kyungwon strode around the case to crush her in a hug.

Kyungwon inhaled sharply. “That’s my—”

“Gremlin?” Yebin laughed, trying to restore an atmosphere of lightheartedness.

Kyungwon chuckled through her nose so it sounded more like sniffs. “That’s my genius.”

~|~|~|~

“Good evening, Miss. I must say you look ravishing tonight.”

“Why thank you. You are rather charming yourself,” replied Minkyung cordially.

“That’s quite an interesting necklace. A perfect match for a beautiful lady.”

“I agree. It was a very meaningful gift,” said Minkyung, conspicuously brushing the fingers of her left hand over the silver chain.

“Ah, I presume you are… taken?” Asked the guest, eyeing Minkyung’s ring.

“I am actually,” Minkyung nodded. “And I’m very happy with my relationship.”

She stopped breathing when the other person stepped closer, a distinct grin spreading across their lips. But Minkyung didn’t want to back down. They leaned in and whispered into her ear.

“This will be our little secret. Nobody has to know.”

Minkyung couldn’t see nor hear anything. She could only feel. Their hand pulled her in by the waist. Her skin burned where they kissed her neck, subtly and slowly. Then she remembered where they were. There were people around, wizards and witches of all rankings in the Ministry.

“Kyungwon, not here,” said Minkyung. Her desire to slip away with Kyungwon clashed with her cognizance of socially acceptable behavior. Her voice ended up sounding twice as desperate.

Kyungwon found this quite amusing and equally attractive, but restrained herself. She risked one more peck behind Minkyung’s ear. Leaning back, she grinned in pride at having made her girlfriend blush. In fact, the rouge of her cheeks made her look even more extravagant in her pearl white dress. Kyungwon also allowed herself one cocky self-compliment. She thought she matched exceptionally well with Minkyung in her own midnight black dress.

“I know you’re mentally praising yourself. Stop it. You’re grinning like a creep,” teased Minkyung.

“And these are my friends, Kyungwon and Minkyung,” said Nayoung, approaching the couple.

“How do you do,” greeted a shorter witch. “I’m Chungha, a fellow Auror of Nayoung’s.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you. We’ve heard quite a few stories,” said Minkyung.

“Oh, I’m sure they’re all nice things,” Chungha chuckled freely. She clinked her glass with all three of theirs and emptied it in one gulp.

“I don’t think that’s how you’re supposed to savor it,” said Nayoung skeptically, eyeing the bubbly golden drink in her own glass.

Chungha shrugged and grinned. “Since when did I care for conventions?” She pulled out her wand and tapped the rim of her flute. It instantly refilled with cool, fizzy champagne.

“Now that’s my kind of philosophy!” Kyungwon clinked Minkyung’s and Nayoung’s glasses as well. She toasted the Auror and downed her drink like a shot. Chungha laughed approvingly.

“Considering we’re wizarding soldiers, conventions and rules should be habitual. No?”

Chungha snorted while maintaining her gracefulness. “Following rules isn’t everything. Breaking them is sometimes just as necessary,” she winked at Nayoung who kept her straight face.

Minkyung smiled as she sipped her champagne. It was odd seeing these two together. Her childhood friend was still as outwardly emotionless as ever. She would’ve thought Nayoung wasn’t enjoying the holiday party, but that still required feeling annoyed. Nayoung was simply there. On the other hand, Chungha had the air of someone who just didn’t care what other people thought. Ironically, it made her personality even more appealing.

Minkyung recalled that Nayoung and Chungha were the top two recruits in their cohort. Both worked solo, but would often join forces or serve as backup when needed. Nayoung was a typical uptight, rigid law enforcement agent who ate protocols for breakfast. According to Nayoung’s stories, Chungha appeared to be the complete opposite. She ran on adrenaline and though she never started fights, she was always ready for one. Tonight’s Chungha seemed relatively mellow to Minkyung. _Must be the alcohol_, she thought dismissively.

“By the way,” said Chungha. “I’ll be abroad next month, so I can’t join you on any missions.”

“Where are you going?” Said Nayoung. Her colleague wasn’t normally sent overseas.

Chungha gave her an evil smirk. “The Alps.”

“What?” Kyungwon gasped. “You’re in charge of the newbies?”

“I’m not a mentor,” Chungha said breezily. “I’m the finale.”

Chungha guffawed at the flash of fear in Nayoung’s eyes. It was only a few years ago when Nayoung came back from boot camp, telling Minkyung and Kyungwon that Chungha had laughed her way to St. Mungo’s for bone regrowth.

“You’re not going to make training any more pleasant for them, are you,” predicted Minkyung.

“Not at all. I’ll give them hell,” Chungha promised, much too calm for someone planning an infernal reckoning. “Especially since one of them is rumored to be a prodigy of sorts. They scored so high during evaluations, they were placed as a second-year trainee straight out of Hogwarts. But anyway, Nayoung. You said one of your little ones made my crossbow? I’d like to thank her personally before I leave.”

“Yeah, where did your sisters run off to?” Nayoung asked the couple, searching the crowd.

“I spy a baby Kang,” said Kyungwon slyly, nodding at the table of hors d’oeuvres. “Does that gremlin actually know how to flirt?”

“Wonder where she got it from,” drawled Minkyung sarcastically, squeezing her girlfriend’s hand.

“Really though, who is she with?” Asked Kyungwon.

“Ugh,” chorused Nayoung and Chungha, rolling their eyes in sync.

Minkyung stared at the Aurors. “I’m guessing you aren’t very fond of him. What’s his name?”

“Ugh,” they said again, earning confused looks from the other two.

“We’ve been calling him Ugh for so long, we don’t remember his name,” Chungha clarified. “Not that we care.” She drained her champagne. “I need Firewhisky if _he’s_ our topic of conversation.”

Nayoung pulled out her own wand and tapped both of their flutes. They transformed into stout cylindrical glasses half-filled with a flaming red liquid. Minkyung glimpsed two similar glasses vanishing from the bar counter. Chungha and Nayoung cheered dully and chugged the Firewhisky. They grimaced at the burning sensation in their throats.

“That bad?” Said Minkyung, wincing at their expressions.

“See for yourself,” groaned Kyungwon in understanding, staring at the man talking to Yebin.

The Auror combed back his hair, making it handsomely ruffled. He blatantly pulled off the coat of his dress robes and flexed his biceps. The four women “ooh”-ed dismally as if they had been punched in the gut by a manifestation of Yebin’s discomfort from across the room.

“I can’t watch this anymore. She’s my sister,” said Kyungwon, striding forward to rescue Yebin.

“Wait, look.” Minkyung pulled back on their clasped hands. “It’s her knight in—”

“A shining… dress?” Said Kyungwon with a hint of excitement.

All four women were completely immersed in the scene. Nayoung was actually biting her nails nervously. Her sharp eyes locked onto the person approaching Yebin and Ugh. Chungha wore an amused expression, as if leisurely watching a play. She had refilled her glass to the brim. Minkyung and Kyungwon could only stare with wide eyes and slack jaws, their hands clenched tightly together in a weird four-handed prayer.

Ugh advanced on Yebin, no doubt attempting to be more intimate. Yebin tried to maintain some distance. She glanced uneasily around the room and spotted the four clustered in a corner. She pleaded for help with her eyes. Her attention was drawn back to Ugh as he stepped forward, reaching for her hand. She jumped back out of reflex but tripped over the hem of her gown.

Kyungwon gasped and almost ran off again, her protective instincts kicking in. She stopped when someone else caught Yebin by the waist and steadied her.

Ugh was confused and hadn’t moved an inch. When he finally realized the woman he had been hitting on almost fell, he smiled greasily at the newcomer. Evidently he wanted to be polite enough to thank them for saving Yebin, but also wished they would shove off immediately.

“Is she going to…?” Nayoung trailed off.

“I think so,” said Chungha, assuming what Nayoung was talking about.

“Where’s my phone when I need it?” Said Kyungwon, shaking a silent Minkyung’s arm.

Much to Ugh’s dismay, the stranger did not leave. In fact, Yewon pulled Yebin closer by the waist and spoke to Ugh. At first glance, she looked as bubbly and cheerful as ever. But by a female’s intuition, the four women knew the small potioneer was furious. They had never wished for Weasleys’ Extendable Ears more than now. They watched as Ugh glared at Yewon incredulously before replying with a smug look. Yebin glanced between the two anxiously. She nudged Yewon’s arm signaling her desire to escape. But Yewon stood her ground and gave Ugh a fake smile before facing Yebin.

The four women erupted in cheers, disturbing the few pockets of guests nearby. Nayoung let out an uncharacteristic high-pitched squeal and clapped her hands over her mouth. Chungha toasted the pair from afar and chugged her entire glass of Firewhisky while looking like the most sober one at the party. Meanwhile, Minkyung’s and Kyungwon’s faces split into wide smiles. They were hugging each other so tightly, it wasn’t clear whose limbs were whose.

“Well, it’s about time,” Minkyung sighed happily, staring across the room.

Yewon finally broke her kiss with a dumbstruck Yebin. She tugged gently at Yebin’s waist and whispered something in her ear. Yebin said something that looked like “Yes!” while nodding fervently. Yewon had never looked brighter when she picked Yebin up and twirled them around in the middle of the crowd.

Not entirely understanding the situation, a few of the wizards and witches sitting at tables by the two women clapped and congratulated them. Nobody paid attention to the affronted Ugh.

~|~|~|~

Soft rays of sunlight shimmered as they reflected off the fresh white snow on the ground. Londoners walked briskly, their noses red and numb. Knitted scarves were wrapped tightly around necks. Hoods were yanked lower with gloved hands to keep out the biting cold.

Minkyung couldn’t have felt any warmer underneath her fluffy, thick blanket. The house was quiet and serene. Opening her eyes, she was greeted with a tuft of silky chestnut hair that always looked golden in daylight. The blanket folded over as she reached up to comb back the tussled locks. Two broad, tan shoulders shuddered at the sudden rush of cool air.

Now fully awake, Minkyung suddenly felt playful. She slowly sat up, taking the rest of the blanket with her. Kyungwon shifted slightly, but didn’t wake up. With a small mischievous smile, Minkyung ran one hand over Kyungwon’s exposed back where her shirt had ridden up. Her skin felt smooth and soft. It was enticing, entrancing. It seemed to glow. Minkyung hovered over Kyungwon and peppered her bare shoulder blades with light kisses. Unconsciously, Minkyung’s hand pressed against Kyungwon’s back, the need to be closer growing stronger. Her hand drifted down to the side of Kyungwon’s waist, slipping under the hem of her shirt. Minkyung brushed Kyungwon’s hair to one side and kissed the back of her neck.

“Minkyung…”

Minkyung bit back a groan. Her hand twitched. Her body flared up, that feeling of need and desire extending to the very tips of her fingers. Her breathing became shallow. Her thoughts dissolved completely. She had the urge to pounce on her girlfriend. Minkyung felt cheated in the best way possible. It wasn’t fair. She was supposed to be in control. But Kyungwon’s moan drove her insane.

She suddenly found herself on her back with Kyungwon hovering above her, their lips locked in a heated kiss. Kyungwon’s hand trailed down Minkyung’s arm and settled on her hip, pushing her into the bed. Minkyung needed to grab something, anything. She wrapped her arms around Kyungwon’s neck and pulled her closer.

“I’d love to wake up to this every morning,” Kyungwon said huskily with a lopsided grin.

“My heart wouldn’t survive a week,” whimpered Minkyung as Kyungwon pressed a soft kiss to the sensitive spot on her collarbone.

A loud knock interrupted them. “Breakfast is ready!” Yebin cackled obnoxiously through the door.

Kyungwon dropped her head onto Minkyung’s chest and pouted in defeat. “Gremlins have impeccable timing.” She looked up when she felt Minkyung shaking. “Are you laughing?”

“You’re just so cute,” cooed Minkyung, pinching Kyungwon’s puffed out cheek.

Kyungwon whined and hugged Minkyung possessively. Minkyung ran her fingers through Kyungwon’s hair to sooth her sulky girlfriend. Almost randomly, a smile spread across her face.

It was so simple, laughing together and teasing each other, in innocent and intimate ways. Minkyung felt a familiar ache in her heart as she breathed in time with Kyungwon. As long as she felt that, it meant she was happy. They were in love and nothing could bring them down.

~|~|~|~

“Ginger newt?”

“Huh?”

Minkyung smiled and shook the tin in her hand. The pieces gave a jumbled rattle.

“Oh, thanks,” said Siyeon stiffly, taking a biscuit but not eating it.

Minkyung sat on the couch next to Siyeon and placed the tin on her lap. “I didn’t expect you to be up so early. You and Nayoung were out all night. Aren’t you tired? I can still hear Nayoung snoring from here,” she laughed.

A perfectly timed rumble traveled down the stairs to the living room. Minkyung tutted jokingly. 

Siyeon chuckled halfheartedly in response. “I tried, but I couldn’t sleep.”

“Having trouble settling in?” Minkyung asked kindly.

“It’s not that,” said Siyeon hastily, but failed to come up with another polite excuse. She sighed.

“Please don’t tell me you’re still looking for a place and trying to hide it from us.”

The corner of Siyeon’s lips curled. “I don’t want to impose,” she said meekly.

Minkyung giggled softly. Her first impression of Siyeon was a witch with a fierce, authoritative aura. Becoming an Auror at her age, and Nayoung’s partner no less, carried its own prestige even outside the Ministry. On top of that, she received certification as an Obliviator. When Minkyung first met her, Siyeon was polite but didn’t make much conversation. After a few more meetings however, Siyeon warmed up to them nicely.

A year and a half later, the Aurors took up a case involving illegal potion trading between a deranged wizard and Muggles seeking under-the-table drugs. He was captured in the end. But Nayoung was left bedridden and subjected to one of Yewon’s extensive antidote regimens. It also cost Siyeon her apartment. The wizard had only been caught because of his foolhardy temper. He was livid when his storage facility had been raided. Out of spite, he tracked down and blew up Siyeon’s place. He had consequently trapped himself in the rubble.

Siyeon initially returned to live with her parents though found it annoying to travel so far. She had to Apparate twice just to get close enough to London, then once more into the Atrium of the Ministry. When Nayoung was finally strong enough to remain conscious for a few hours, she told Siyeon to just move in. They were partners after all and the magical house had nonexistent rooms to spare. As if to convince Siyeon, an archway appeared right next to Nayoung’s room. Kyungwon shouted to the rest that there was a bed, a desk, and shelves. Nayoung was exhausted from talking, but fought off sleep until Siyeon agreed.

That was a month ago. Minkyung’s heart fell every time she passed Siyeon’s room when the plain Muggle door with a handle was ajar. The witch’s belongings were still packed away in boxes along the empty wall. Siyeon probably felt like an outsider. She had reverted to her habitually distant tone when she spoke, but was clearly battling with herself to be as comfortable and friendly as before. Minkyung wondered how she could make Siyeon feel welcome.

“We’ll keep saying it until you believe it. The more, the merrier. We love having you here. You’re not a bother at all. You’re family now,” said Minkyung cheerfully.

“Family,” muttered Siyeon distractedly, her eyes glazing over.

Minkyung’s smile faded. The witch’s tone didn’t sound sad exactly, but it felt rather empty. To most people, family was a loaded word. Perhaps not for the youngest of their group. Minkyung was curious, but she would never force Siyeon to tell her.

“This family is a bit different from what I’m used to,” said Siyeon slowly, as if carefully considering her words.

Minkyung casually linked arms with Siyeon. It was her way of saying she was there to listen, without actually speaking. It wasn’t about her voicing her support. It was about Siyeon knowing she had support. Staying silent somehow made it more clear.

Siyeon pursed her lips in thought. “All three of us were distant, my parents and I. I don’t know. Being a family felt like an obligation. It was just a blood title. My childhood was normal. I was fed and clothed. I had a house. I was educated properly. That’s all I needed,” she shrugged.

“But not all you wanted?” Asked Minkyung softly.

“There was nothing to want. You can’t want what you don’t know exists. I never questioned how affectionate other families were. I never questioned how unaffectionate mine was.” Siyeon was pleased to detect zero rudeness in her own voice. But it still sounded awfully detached.

Minkyung didn’t care. She was just glad that Siyeon was sharing anything with her. “Your family wasn’t bad,” she assured. Minkyung had to give Siyeon’s parents credit. She was still a fine daughter and an incredibly skilled witch.

“No,” Siyeon agreed. “Just different.”

Minkyung nodded and combed through Siyeon’s glossy black hair soothingly. She was surprised Siyeon felt comfortable enough to rest her head on her shoulder. Nayoung knew Siyeon the longest, but both of them had more independent personalities even when together. Being touchy or showing any great display of emotion was uncharacteristic of them. So Minkyung smiled to herself as a bit of pride sprouted in her heart. Just five minutes ago, Siyeon was intent on politely isolating herself. But Minkyung had gotten her to open up.

“I think,” said Siyeon after a moment, wrapping her arm tighter around Minkyung’s. “I think I like this family.” She met Minkyung’s curious bright stare. “It feels like what a family should be.”

Minkyung gently poked Siyeon’s stomach. Siyeon giggled in a very feminine, youthful way that was so unlike her image. “I thought you said you didn’t know what that was.”

Siyeon gave Minkyung an easy smile. “I can define it now, can’t I?”

Minkyung nodded wholeheartedly. “How do you define it then, oh wise one?”

“Hmm, family is simply you guys.” Siyeon glanced at Minkyung, as if checking for approval. “I can share things with you I’ve never bothered to tell anyone.” She held up one finger. “Nayoung always has my back, quite literally. Yewon radiates happiness which is a great resource for an Auror.” She counted off another two fingers. “And Kyungwon is such a fool—no offense.”

“None taken,” said Minkyung coolly with a wink.

“It’s hilarious watching her blunder about from the sidelines. I thought she’d be the mature one, but looks can be deceiving.” Siyeon held up a fourth finger, then paused. She backtracked to Minkyung’s previous words. “Hey, that’s the _Golden_ one, to you,” she added playfully.

Minkyung snorted. She reached over and uncurled Siyeon’s thumb, totaling five outstretched fingers. “Apparently Yebin has rubbed off on you too.”

“Oh my God, Siyeon’s hugging a living thing. The apocalypse is upon us!” Wailed Yebin in the doorway to the back corridor. She dragged her hands down her cheeks dramatically.

“Stop bullying my partner,” shouted Nayoung, descending the stairs with a small smirk.

“Be nice,” chided Yewon as she hugged Yebin from behind.

“Smile!”

A blinding flash illuminated the room, earning disgruntled murmurs from five people. Kyungwon happily pulled out a square of film paper from her polaroid and flapped it around. She burst out laughing once the photo developed.

Yebin clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Really? You couldn’t get my good side?”

She had whipped her head around resulting in a nearly horizontal hairstyle. Her eyes were half-lidded and her mouth was shaped in an irregular curve.

Kyungwon guffawed. “You don’t have a good side. Move.” She jokingly shoved past Yebin to show the picture to everyone else.

Yewon had the decency not to laugh out loud and told Yebin she looked lovely. Yebin groaned at how much derpier she looked standing next to Yewon who always emulated an angel in mortal form. Yewon blushed and hid her face against Yebin’s back.

Nayoung raised her eyebrow as she examined the photo. “It’s strange seeing it so still. I look…”

“The same as you do ninety-nine percent of the time,” finished Kyungwon.

“What’s the one percent?”

“You drool and snore like a dinosaur when you sleep on the couch,” shrugged Kyungwon. Nayoung choked on her spit and her eyes bulged out of their sockets. “Hey, that’s a new look for ya,” laughed Kyungwon, giving Nayoung a firm thump on the back that really didn’t help at all.

Kyungwon walked around the couch and hugged Minkyung from behind. Her left arm draped over Siyeon’s shoulders to show them the picture.

“Siyeonie,” said Kyungwon in a quiet, gentle voice.

Minkyung expected Siyeon to cringe in embarrassment at the overly cute version of her name. But she just stared up at Kyungwon with the most innocent expression that rivaled Yewon’s.

“Siyeonie,” Kyungwon called again. “Look. You fit right in.”

Minkyung observed Siyeon for a moment before glancing at the motionless photo. She and Siyeon were sitting on the couch looking, well, normal. They didn’t look drunk like Yebin. They didn’t look photogenic like the beaming Yewon behind her. They weren’t seducing the camera with a wink like Kyungwon. And they didn’t look as done with everyone’s nonsense like Nayoung. There was no other way to describe it. It simply looked natural. Every ridiculous and mundane pixel of the photo looked natural.

“Everyone looks exactly how I would imagine them to,” said Siyeon quietly.

Minkyung shared a confused look with Kyungwon. Neither spoke. Siyeon was apparently talking to herself without knowing it and they didn’t want to interrupt.

Siyeon tilted her head. Her eyes darted between each person in the photo. “I didn’t have to grow up with any of you. I don’t have to know every detail about your lives or future endeavors. We just have to click,” she muttered.

“Sounds about right,” interjected Kyungwon with a dumb smile.

Minkyung laughed and shared a significant look with her girlfriend. Kyungwon wasn’t oblivious. Siyeon had realized something and they had a pretty good idea what it was.

Siyeon looked up from the photo and saw Minkyung and Kyungwon already beaming at her expectantly. “Can I call this home?”

A week later, Minkyung watched Siyeon mount a giant picture frame on the wall at the end of the second floor corridor with a Permanent Sticking Charm. She bid Minkyung good night and walked into her room, the newly carved handleless door shutting smoothly behind her.

~|~|~|~

“What’s for dessert?” Yebin asked adorably in an octave higher than her usual tone.

Kyungwon faked a gag and Yebin punched her in the arm.

Yewon laughed. “Turtle cheesecake. But before that, you two know the drill.”

Yebin groaned, leaning her head on Kyungwon’s shoulder. Kyungwon’s head lolled onto Yebin’s.

“But the others aren’t even here,” whined Yebin.

“Nayoung and Siyeon have theirs before leaving on assignments. Minkyung ate hers before going out earlier,” said Yewon, conjuring a jar on the dining table. “Go on.”

Kyungwon swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared at the appendages bobbing up and down in the green fluid. Controlling her expression, she unscrewed the lid and plucked out a pickled Murtlap tentacle before offering the jar to Yebin, who grudgingly plunged her fingers in. Even Yewon had a grimace on her face, but confidently fished one out.

The taste was now tolerable, but the texture would always be revolting. Kyungwon tried to ignore the chewiness of the tentacle, imagining it to be calamari or a very tough slice of steak. _Pickled Murtlap tentacles improve resistance to jinxes_, she repeated like a mantra in her head. She reminded herself that Yewon had specially prepared this. It was mostly for the Aurors, but they all made a pact to eat it. Thankfully this was only a biweekly snack.

“Alright, now we can have dessert,” coughed Yewon, forcing down the last bit in her mouth.

Yebin looked to be passed out on the table. With a poke from Kyungwon, she groaned to signal she was still alive. “Thank you for thinking of our safety,” she said as genuinely as possible.

Yewon scuttled into the kitchen to cut three slices of cheesecake. Yebin remained motionless on the table. Kyungwon patted Yebin’s head comfortingly. She screwed the lid back on and carried the jar to Yewon’s lab.

“This goes in the cupboard, I think. Holy—”

Kyungwon screamed and dropped the jar, the glass shattering at her feet. The Murtlap tentacles skidded across the floor as the pickling juice splashed everywhere.

“Are you okay?” Called Yewon, rushing to Kyungwon’s side.

“What happened? Oh no,” said Yebin, staring across the room.

A silvery hawk soared through the locked window. Soft wisps of light drifted off of its fluttering wings as it perched on the back of the couch. The three women moved closer to listen.

“Call Chungha,” came Nayoung’s urgent voice from the hawk’s beak. “Ministry isn’t responding. Siyeon and I are separated. We’re trapped. Can’t Disapparate—”

The Patronus cut off abruptly mid-speech and vanished, dissolving into thin wisps of fading light. The room was suddenly dark and cold again.

“I’m going to get Chungha and find them,” declared Yebin, running across the hall.

“I’m going with you.”

“No you’re not, Yewon. It’s not safe,” pleaded Yebin, already plucking blades off the wall racks.

“You’re not any better of a duelist than I am. And do you honestly think I’ll let you go alone?” Said Yewon, summoning several antidotes from her lab and stuffing them in a bottomless sack.

“But—”

“I’m going with you and that’s final,” said Yewon sternly. She met Yebin’s eyes with her own determined gaze. A sudden flurry of rustling and clicks distracted them.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Demanded Yebin, her distress masked by incredulity.

“What do you think I’m doing?” Snapped Kyungwon. She paused to buckle her dragon hide chest plate securely. “You two aren’t going alone to chase after skilled _Aurors_ who are having trouble themselves capturing a dark wizard. I’m coming with.”

“Kyungwon, no. I’m definitely not letting you go!” Shouted Yebin furiously.

“Who said you get to decide?” Kyungwon yelled back.

“But you—” Yebin didn’t continue. A wave of guilt washed over her at the unspoken words.

Kyungwon stopped moving too. “What?” She demanded with extreme calm. “I can’t go because I haven’t got magic?”

“She didn’t mean it like that. We just don’t want you to get hurt.” Yewon’s already soft voice trailed off as she glanced between Kyungwon and Yebin locked in a staring contest.

“Nayoung and Siyeon are my friends too. Hell, they’re family! We all are!” Kyungwon cried with conviction. “I made half of the equipment in this room with you, Yebin. I know how it all works. I can use them. You made it so that each piece we crafted together contains magic. If you two are going, so am I. We’re finding them together.”

“Kyungwon.” Yebin was begging now. “Please, just stay here.”

“I’m going,” said Kyungwon assertively.

She watched Yebin close her eyes in resignation. Kyungwon considered the matter settled. Without another word, she bent down to fasten the straps on her boot.

“I’m so sorry. Forgive me,” said Yebin in a broken voice. “You know I love you, right?”

“Yebin, what are you—” Kyungwon looked up and froze, barely hearing Yewon’s gasp.

Yebin swallowed thickly, pointed her wand at Kyungwon, and said in a clear voice, “Immobulus.”

~|~|~|~

“So what do you think?”

Minkyung smiled, her bright eyes reflecting the lights of the display case. “They’re perfect. I’ll take them. Thank you for being so patient with me.”

The saleswoman laughed airily and shook her head. “Not at all. This is a huge step in your life and I’m glad I could be of service. Besides, you’re one of the more, how shall I say, reasonable customers I’ve spoken to. Most of all, I see a certain fire in your eyes that’s not all that common.”

“Really?” Said Minkyung in surprise, following her to the register.

“Unfortunately,” sighed the saleswoman. “But customers with your kind of passion make this job worth it. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever met someone quite as meticulous and thoughtful as you. Whoever gets this is one lucky person.”

Minkyung beamed. “I’d like to think I’m the lucky one,” she said fondly, wringing her hands nervously watching her purchase being packed neatly.

“I do hope they like it. And I wish you two the best,” smiled the woman.

Minkyung thanked her and walked out into the cool night air. The door clicked softly behind her. It was long past the store’s closing hours, but the saleswoman seemed ecstatic to help her out one last time. Minkyung couldn’t be any happier with her choice.

She turned off the main road and onto a quiet street. Pulling an object out of her pocket, she opened it and grinned. It really was beautiful. After a whole month of searching and asking nitpicky questions, she had found the perfect one. Her heart felt so light, she could have floated into the sky. But that couldn’t happen. She had to remain on the ground for what she wanted to do. She chuckled at her own jumbled nonsensical thoughts.

Minkyung stood in front of an old rusted gate. To any passerby, she would’ve seemed crazy smiling foolishly at the weedy, trash-strewn gap. But Minkyung didn’t care. Nothing could possibly take this feeling away from her.

With a deep breath, she strode forward into the gate and melted seamlessly through a large mahogany door. She stopped short in the foyer. The house was oddly silent and still. Was nobody home? But it was past dinner. Usually someone would be lounging on the couches or talking up a storm. Minkyung felt a strange sense of foreboding. She slipped off her shoes and entered into the living room. She was about to call out when she heard a crash down the hall.

“Ugh, my head…”

“Kyungwon? Are you okay?”

Minkyung rushed into the workshop and knelt down. Kyungwon was sprawled on the ground, holding the back of her throbbing head. Minkyung gently nudged Kyungwon’s hand away to look for cuts. Seeing nothing, she massaged Kyungwon’s scalp to ease the pain.

“What happened? Where is everyone? And why are you on the floor wearing that? I didn’t have anything to harvest today,” said Minkyung worriedly.

Kyungwon’s eyes widened and she scrambled onto her feet, knocking more materials off the tables. She searched the room frantically before running into the lab.

“Are Yebin and Yewon not home?” Asked Minkyung.

“No, they’ve gone to Chungha’s to chase after Nayoung and Siyeon,” said Kyungwon hastily, returning back to the glass case and slipping on a vambrace.

“Wait, what? Kyungwon, tell me what’s happening,” demanded Minkyung with a hint of panic.

Kyungwon spoke quickly while unhooking her gloves from a stand and walking briskly to a display of throwing knives. “Nayoung sent a warning. The wizard she and Siyeon were tracking somehow trapped them all—wherever they are. They’re separated from each other. Nobody at the Auror Office responded. Chungha’s the only backup we can call.”

“Okay, so they’ve gone to talk to Chungha? Kyungwon, stop,” said Minkyung, grabbing Kyungwon’s wrists. “You’re making me nervous. Why are you putting on armor? You’re not going to run into the midst of a battle, are you?”

“I am,” said Kyungwon seriously. But she didn’t twist her hands away. Instead, she turned her palms up and gripped tightly onto Minkyung’s hands as if begging her to understand. “Minkyung, our _sisters_ went after them. Nayoung and Siyeon could be dying as we speak. Nayoung’s Patronus cut off in the middle of the warning. At the very least, she’s unconscious or extremely weak if her Patronus can’t keep its form. And nobody knows where Siyeon is or how she’s doing. Yewon and Yebin left through the fireplace a minute ago. I’m going after them. No spell is going to stop me from helping.”

“Then I’m going with you,” said Minkyung, striding over to the glass case for her own armor.

“Minkyung, it’s—”

“Don’t you dare tell me it’s too dangerous,” said Minkyung lowly, advancing on Kyungwon. “My whole family is running off to either catch a lunatic wizard or embark on a rescue mission. I am _not_ staying in this house alone wondering when I can visit you all at St. Mungo’s.”

Kyungwon was stunned into silence. Did she not just argue with Yebin about this? And she was struck with a binding jinx just to keep her here. As much as she wanted to keep Minkyung safe at home, she knew she had no right to say otherwise. Inhaling sharply, she dashed around the room removing various weapons off the walls.

Minkyung took Kyungwon’s silence to mean acceptance. Her head was in a whirlwind, her thoughts were a mess. She could only focus on her armor. They had to be quick if they wanted to catch Yebin and Yewon in time. She didn’t know how they were going to help, but they’d never live it down if something happened to the four witches and they just sat around waiting.

Her heart swelled when she felt a slight tug from behind. Kyungwon was sheathing blades into Minkyung’s suit and attached pouches to her belt. Kyungwon’s own back and waist were already full of equipment. With a final nod, Kyungwon took Minkyung’s hand and led them to the fireplace in Yewon’s lab, just behind the couch where Nayoung’s Patronus had landed. She plunged her hand into the urn and threw a whole fistful of Floo powder onto the cold logs. The hearth burst into huge emerald flames.

“Kyungwon.”

Before Kyungwon could speak, Minkyung had pulled her into a kiss. All thoughts of fighting and running and rescuing emptied from Kyungwon’s mind, replaced by a flash of memories of her and Minkyung. It was something she could never control, nor would she ever want to.

Minkyung deepened the kiss, wanting to convey everything she ever felt for Kyungwon. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she had to let Kyungwon know. With great reluctance, she leaned back to put some space between them. She reached for Kyungwon’s cheek with one hand, tracing her thumb over the soft skin glowing in the firelight.

“I love you,” they whispered.

There it was, that ever strong ache in Minkyung’s heart telling her what she shared with Kyungwon was real and pure. She squeezed Kyungwon’s hand and they stepped forward.

The flames receded up into the chimney as they spun out of sight. Something peculiar tumbled out of the air and hit the brick wall lining the back. Two small velvet boxes fell onto the floor. One of them snapped open, the silver ring inside reflecting the fading light of the embers among the ashes.

~|~|~|~

“Hey, what are you doing in here all by yourself?”

“Just reminiscing old times.”

Yebin smiled mournfully at the dust-free glass case protecting two imperial suits of silvery blue dragon hide armor. On either side of the case was the silver hilt of a geeky franchise-inspired tool that didn’t match at all with anything in the display. Yebin smirked sadly at the memory.

“I miss them too,” said Yewon, voicing both of their thoughts as she hugged Yebin from behind.

Their eyes traveled to a transparent table between the armor sets at hand level. On the outer edge, there were two thin rings with small diamonds embedded in a vine design. Two clean velvet boxes sat in the center of the table. Yebin flicked her wand feebly and they opened smoothly. Nestled in the cushions was a different pair of rings. The silver band spiraled out from underneath a simple diamond gleaming on top. The rings were perfectly circular with no end.

“Kyungwon never got to see it,” whispered Yebin, placing her hands over Yewon’s.

Yewon rested her chin on Yebin’s shoulder. “No, but I don’t think it mattered. I was with them when…” She paused to collect herself. “Minkyung asked Kyungwon to marry her, right in front of me. By the looks on their faces, you wouldn’t think we had curses flying at us from every direction.” Yewon sniffed and let out a weak laugh.

“They must have been so happy.”

“They were. I’m sure of it. I’m sure they are now.”

Yebin leaned her head sideways against Yewon’s and sighed. “I think they would’ve liked Jieqiong and Eunwoo.”

“Sungyeon and Kyla too. We make one unique family,” Yewon giggled softly.

“Yeah, we do,” smiled Yebin. “The ten of us.”


End file.
